X Chronicles: Rise of Sigma
by Cyrex
Summary: AU reboot; Sigma, the greatest Maverick Hunter, has gone Maverick. With the entire world in danger, can Mega Man X find the power to defeat the Mavericks, or be lost to the madness himself?
1. Prologue

[NOTE: This story is an AU reboot of the Megaman X series told as a cohesive adventure. Characters you like will be different or not present at all. Characters you don't like may be emphasized. The story will become more unique as it develops, and is currently intended as a 5-story arc, if completed.]

Prologue: "The Highway"

The air was loud with explosions. They went off like single bullets from an automatic gun. Screams and destruction punctuated the small gaps that attempted silence. Smoke was starting to stain the sky over the entire city.

Reploids and humans were mixed in their flight from the attackers. Hover-drones were rushing down to bash vehicles off the road, and armored walkers were firing missiles and blast-waves, chewing up the road itself. Even demolition bots had been somehow coopted into the fighting, sweeping in with their propeller heads and ramming their spiked pistons down into the roads.

Hidden from the battle, Dr. Cain's hands gripped the edges of the console showing him the destruction across the city. "...Sigma's forces. This was a coordinated military assault, not just a handful of Mavericks."

"Maverick Hunter squad 17 reporting," a strong, controlled voice chimed over the comm. "Dr. Cain, we're sweeping the South side, but there are a lot of battle droids involved. Are the other squads doing alright? This is getting hectic. I can break off to assist."

"No, Zero. Stay where you are for now. I have the other squads en route. The source is a sky-carrier still hovering over the far side of the city."

Dr. Cain's display zoomed to the most damaged edge of the city, and showed a large, shark-like ship with massive hemispheres embedded in either side.

"I thought that looked out of place. ...So Storm Eagle turned?"

"Sigma's air-commander, yes."

"Have we located Sigma's whereabouts?"

"No."

"Then that's our first-!"

Zero was cut off by an explosion over the comm.. Dr. Cain watched it warily until Zero's voice returned.

"We'll talk more later, Doc."

"Understood."

Dr. Cain gripped the side of his head, his aged face scrunching with grim frustration. _How could I miss this? Sigma was the best Maverick Hunter we had. These Mavericks... why can't I find the cause?_

"Doctor Cain, it's a war zone out there!"

Caught, the doctor twisted, and his expression faded to a sad one as his eyes locked on X. The unique Reploid was half-inside the doorway, his blue metal body tense. Blue-green eyes were bright with urgency.

"Yes, X, it is. We've got the squads deployed. They'll... they'll have this cleaned up soon."

X's frame sank slightly, and he stepped fully inside. Looking up at the display, he had to finally look down to the side. "So it's true. Sigma's group are now Maverick?"

Dr. Cain grimaced, turning back to the console. "...Despite all my best efforts, yes. I'm... I'm sorry, X. I never knew my attempt to build on your legacy would cause these... catastrophe."

X looked up again. "Only a small fraction of Reploids have ever gone Maverick, Doctor. The fighting itself is the tragedy, nothing else. This is too serious this time. I have to go out and see what I can do."

"No, X! You're not made for combat! You're too valuable to us all. You're Dr. Light's true legacy! If we lose you, we lose far more than just a few-!"

"Just a few what!"

The sudden fury in X's face stunned Dr. Cain silent. He stared, wide-eyed, at this normally gentle, mild-mannered robot.

X continued, his arm snapping out. "Reploids are dying out there, too, Doctor! Everyone is dying! Dying because of something made in my example! I'm not watching silently anymore, Dr. Cain!"

And he was gone through the doorway, only the thump-hiss of his hydraulic feet echoing in Dr. Cain's ears.

Dr. Cain slumped against the console. "...But if you go Maverick, we're truly lost, X. Dr. Light himself was terrified of that. Terrified to his last breath."

[Outside]

X ran out onto the street, and drove himself toward the explosions. It didn't take long as he wove through the abandoned or destroyed vehicles. More and more wreckage became part of the path before he saw something, and skidded to a halt. One of the buildings to his left was all but gutted by the detonated remains of an assault walker bot.

He didn't know why he felt so compelled to check. He ran into the gaping hole that used to be the door, and quickly glanced around.

His eyes widened, pained, as he saw a hand just around a corner of a wall, blood still pooling out around it.

Then the hand twitched.

X ran. Skidding around the turn, he found a human woman there. He knelt down, brushing some hair from her face. "Ma'am?"

Her eyes weakly peeled open, and then she jerked, shoving away from him.

He raised his hands. "Easy, easy! I'm not going to hurt you!"

"A-are you... one of the ones... attacking?"

X shook his head, and carefully reached over, starting to pick her up into his arms. His eyes found her stomach next, and he couldn't hide the pained shock in his face. The woman's gut was in pieces.

Looking into her eyes, he shook his head. "N-no... I'm... I'm here to help."

She seemed to grow very calm. "Oh... I guess you just... couldn't help... me..."

The woman smiled gently for him, and then went limp in his arms.

X sank between his own legs, still holding her. His face was slack, eyes wide, staring past her as blood poured down his all-too-hard frame.

"...I'm... so sorry..."

He squeezed her close, his frame shaking so much it rattled.

An explosion outside made him freeze still.

His helmet lifted enough to let his eyes focus outward, and his face was etched into rage. With pupils dilated to points, the blue-green irises seemed to intensify.

"Life is so cheap to us, isn't it?" he rasped out.

The woman was set down gently, and the thump-hiss echoed rapid-fire as X blitzed out of the building.

[Outside, again]

A hover-drone was just zooming down over the nearest car when it sensed movement. Twisting, its optics and mouth flashing with a building charge to attack, it only registered a white fist before its body was shattered into sparking wreckage.

X landed from his jumping punch, and charged ahead. His eyes locked on the air-carrier hovering so far away. He sped up, leaning full into his sprint, and his eyes glanced around quickly. Maps and positional data overlaid with his vision, and he saw that the aerial highway would get him closer to the ship than anything else.

Another trio of fliers came zooming down at him.

X spotted them, and his eyes sharpened. He gripped his left forearm. _Dr. Light... you gave me this weapon, but I know you didn't want me to use it. Forgive me... I have to!_ His eyes blazed up, and his left hand snapped into a narrow shape before vanishing inside the bulbous forearm.

He saw that woman's weakening face, and his arm snapped up. Golden energy bled out of the barrel that used to be his wrist, and he opened fire.

The first few shots went wide, but the pulsing orbs of energy struck true with the next volley. The fliers blew apart in melting chunks of metal.

Already, his internal systems were activating in ways he'd never felt before. Targeting systems, energy pathing, internal cooling, it was all adapting to his new needs.

As he hand-flipped over a rail to get onto the highway proper, X thought, _Thank you, Dr. Light. I'm sorry this had to happen, but thank you for giving the ability to protect the innocent, to protect life._

X kept running.

A spike wheel came whirling out of the wreckage of a vehicle, and X fired at it, whittling it down to a few chunks of smoldering machinery.

As he cleared the first hill of the highway, he saw an assault walker. It spotted him, and braced, the missile bays snapping open.

The energy networks that had opened up told X what he needed to know.

With a building shout, he drew his X-buster back, and energy started to pour into the barrel as well as ripple and flow over his entire frame.

The walker fired twice. X dove to the left of the first missile, then rolled under the second, and rose up spinning.

"You're not killing anyone else!" he roared, ramming his cannon forward, and firing at last as energy bled off his body.

The air pulsed with force, and a massive blue-white storm of power erupted from his shot. It flew out, barely held together, and collided with the walker. The walker was blown in half, a good portion of its central structure completely liquefied and vaporized.

X leapt through the falling pieces, already charging more power, and kept running.

Fliers and demolition bots were blown apart, littering the path X chose just as much as the ruined cars and transports.

He just kept running, his legs ramming him forward. He needed to reach that sky-carrier!

The air suddenly roared under the chop of a rotary engine, and X skidded to a halt, looking up as he reached a portion of the highway that had lost its guard-rails entirely.

A hornet-class transport swept down in front of him, the air blasting away as the insectoid air-assault ship locked its nose cannon on him, and opened fire.

X dove to his left, firing at the same time. Another air-shocking blue-white blast wave flew out as his feet barely left the ground the bullets chewed apart.

The hornet took the blast to the face, but it was heavily armored. Even so, the raw force shook the assault craft backwards in the air a bit. The 'stinger' of its body aimed down, and rolled out several silver orbs.

The orbs let legs roll off their bodies, and stood up, marching for X as well.

X growled, and charged forward as he pulled more energy into his body. "You're not dropping me that easily!"

He lunged out, as if punching, and fired again, almost point-blank to the first walker.

The blast-wave tore the walkers apart, and hit the hornet full-on again. This time the Horner sputtered, and the propelled blew off the top from cracks in the frame. It crashed down, and the sudden weight shocked the structure of the highway.

X felt the dangerous shake of fracturing metal and cement, and leapt onto the carcass of the hornet, running along as the highway started to collapse beneath it. He lept free, and crashed to a crouch just beyond the gaping hole.

He glanced back over his shoulder, exhaled sharply, and then ran on ahead.

The highway was weaker the further he went. Pieces started to give way beneath him, even as more fliers came rushing down to ram or blast him. X blew them apart in waves, and leapt from chunk of highway to chunk.

Looking up after another landing, he allowed a bit of satisfaction to mark his lips with a smile. The sky-carrier was right there. He was almost on it.

Leaping over another gap, he saw a robotic car steering for him, a gun mounted to the hood, a droid aiming it.

X firmed, building energy, and ran straight for it. "You're not getting past me to hurt more people!"

He fired without pausing, still racing straight for the attacking vehicle.

Before it could even fire, the vehicle was blown open, the lowest portion of the frame gliding along on loose wheels. X stepped on it as he ran forward.

Looking up at the belly of the ship, X nodded, and ran harder. He saw a hill further ahead, just off the highway. With the way the carrier was flying, he could use that to get closer enough to jump aboard.

[Elsewhere]

Zero dropped down to a crouch near the highway, his brow creased. Touching his white audio-sensor, he spoke, "Dr. Cain? What squad was handling the highway?"

"...I didn't send a squad there yet."

"Well someone just cleaned it out fast. And you sound concerned. What's wrong, Doc?"

Dr. Cain grimaced. "...X just took off. He took the highway... He's going for the carrier."

Zero's eyes widened. "Why did you let him! He'll get killed out here, Doc! These droids are one thing, but there are Mavericks out here, built for combat!"

"I COULDN'T! Go after him, Zero... he has to live."

Zero cut the line and his feet burst with thruster-power, rocketing him down the road. "Hang in there, X."

[On the Highway]

Before reaching the hill, the carrier opened its bay, and let the ramp down. X looked up, and his eyes widened at the massive shape leaping straight down at him. With a shout, he dove to his right, tumbling harshly.

A power-suit crashed down, cracking the ground violently. It rose up, and turned, revealing a Reploid in full armor, with a visored helmet, and a cannon mounted on his own shoulder.

"Well, well. Look what we have here?"

X grimaced, standing up. "Vile... Why did Sigma turn Maverick! Why are you attacking innocent civilians like this!"

Vile chuckled. "Like I have any need to tell you? I'm glad you're out here, though, X. Time to die!"

The suit suddenly burst forward with a hydraulic roar, and X tried to jump back. He wasn't fast enough. The large fist slammed into his trunk, and sent him flying as he shouted from the pain.

X hit the ground harshly, skidding and flipping over himself. Vile was charging already, and X strained to get up, his chest-plate already dented and split in several places, light leaking out.

This time, just as Vile was about to hit, X rammed himself forward, under the attack, and rolled out behind the machine. Building energy as well, he fired into its back.

The machine pitched forward, but spun around at the waist, and Vile's shoulder-cannon aimed down.

"You don't have what it takes for war, kid. Shoulda stayed home."

A rippling sphere of gold light fired off from Vile's cannon, and X tried to leap back, but it hit dead-on.

A containment field surged over X's body, and he cried out, crashing down to his hands and knees, grimacing as his body shook.

Vile reached down with the power suit, and clenched the blue robot around the torso. Hefting X up, he started to squeeze. "So much for Dr. Light's legacy, hm?"

X strained, trying to lift his left arm, but his body was stunned, and physically restrained as it began to crack and warn of critical damage in his core systems.

Vile paused, and X heard the building hum of rising energy.

A pulse-shock sounded, and Vile started to rush backward, letting X go, but not before the blast-bolt struck the power-suits arm, blowing it clean off. Glowing-hot metal and parts flew out as the limb crashed down.

Zero rocketed into view, standing ahead of X, more energy building over his buster-cannon

Vile chuckled again. "Saved by Zero, of course. Just needed to buy some time anyway. Take care, Hunters. Kill you later." The power suit leapt up right as Zero fired, his shot flying under its feet.

The suit landed rushing away at top speed, the carrier catching it up in the loading platform.

The constraining field finally faded, and X just bowed his head as he knelt there.

"Trying to get yourself killed, X?"

"No."

Zero sighed, and let his hand reform. "You're not built for combat, X. Vile is designed as a war machine."

"I'm fighting this time, Zero. With or without your help."

"Dying you mean?"

"If necessary."

Zero growled, rubbing the back of his helmet. "...Look, X. You're unique, and your body has systems none of us understand. ...Are you serious about fighting?"

X looked up, meeting his eyes.

Zero's face slackened. _That's an edge I never saw before. X... what happened to you this time?_ "...If you use all of the systems you were designed with, you'll get stronger. Maybe even as strong as I am," he added with a smirk to cover his little slip of expression.

X's eyes eased, and he smirked, bowing his head again. "I'll work on it."

Zero offered his hand. "Come on. Let's get you repaired... then I'll show you some pointers, okay?"

"The carrier."

"Long gone, X. Pick your battles. Call that lesson one."

X's face turned bitter at the ground, but he slowly reached up, and let Zero pull him to his feet.

Zero blinked. "...Blood?"

X looked down at the red still staining him from the woman in the building. "...The Maverick problem is my problem now. I won't rest until this is settled."

Concerned, Zero asked, "Are you sure you're okay?"

X met his eyes with that edge again. "No. And I don't think I will be for a long time, Zero. Let's go... I need those pointers."

"And, you know, to stop leaking fluids out of your chest plate."

X chuckled, holding a hand to his damaged from. "That, too, yeah."

Sharing the humor, Zero was interrupted by something, and he tapped his audio-sensor. "Ah, we've got transporters back up. Ready?"

X nodded.

The pair vanished in flashes of blue and red light, bolting into the sky.


	2. Chapter 1: The Capsule

Chapter 1: "The Capsule"

X knew he was in the repair chamber due to the damage of his torso, but he was also aware. Too aware. He was supposed to be completely inactive for this process. Just one of the many reasons the repair chambers were in the deepest, most secure section of the Maverick Hunter headquarters.

Zero had brought him there for the repairs and for their practice a little later.

He sensed something. X couldn't quite peg it, but something was giving him positional data. Yet it was vague. He just felt a kind of radar impression of distance and direction. There were several of them, all unique and at varying distances.

…_I had hoped the world would allow you to live a peaceful one…_

It was a strange voice, yet familiar.

X's optics opened, the repair chamber hissing open above him. He sat forward, looking down at his left hand. _The new systems. Well… the newly active systems. Is this another? I need to check out these locations._

Then he remembered the battle, the carrier. His eyes sharpened. "That will have to wait."

"What will have to wait?" Zero asked, appearing at the side of the opened chamber.

X blinked up at him, and then started to push himself out. "Nothing, really. Any news about the carrier and Sigma's forces?"

"Yes, actually. You want a briefing before we do some training?" Zero asked, offering his hand.

X took it with a small smile, and let Zero pull him out onto his feet.

"Sounds perfect, if you don't mind."

Zero nodded. "Come on."

[Maverick Hunter Headquarters]

The strategy room was large and tall. A circular display table waited in the center. Dr. Cain stood there in his techno-robe, his cane holding him up rather than the console. Other Reploids were busily working away at the consoles and arrays around the room. X and Zero walked up to Dr. Cain, but X was glancing around in subtle astonishment.

"Still determined, I see?" Dr. Cain chose to say first, a strained look in his eyes.

X focused on him, and nodded. "Sorry, Doctor, but I have to do this."

With a little sigh, Dr. Cain turned to the table proper, and started to input commands. "This is what we know now."

A map of the world rose up in the holo-display, with several glowing points.

Zero pointed at it, "We've managed to beat back most of the grunt forces across the world, but these areas are the hold-outs, the strongest fortresses of Sigma's power."

"He's retreated to his defenses?" X confirmed, a bit incredulous.

"Biding his time, we think," Dr. Cain answered. Still grim, he added, "We have no sign of Sigma himself. His own headquarters must be very well hidden."

X crossed his arms. "This kind of fortification would take years."

Dr. Cain glanced to Zero, who uncomfortably looked down to the side.

"Yeah, we know," the red Reploid finally said.

Dr. Cain saw it for the first time. The dark gravity in X's eyes as they glided from himself to Zero and back.

"Doctor, can I have access to your research on the Mavericks?" X abruptly asked.

Dr. Cain blinked. "…If you wish, of course. It didn't think behavioral programming failures were your forte, X…"

"I don't know about forte, but they're my primary concern now." X's brow creased as he looked at the map.

His systems were adapting to the visual data, and that odd, new sense he had was corresponding to it. He could feel those signals. X slowly reached out, and his hand hovered over the map, slowly moving around it.

Zero raised an eyebrow. "X, you okay?"

"Fine, just a moment, please," X distantly answered.

When his hand passed over the icy fortress near the Northern Mountains, he froze. That signal intensified abruptly, urgently demanding his focus internally. Also, he felt something wrong further North. His very system was warning him about the Northern reaches.

"…It was Sigma's entire elite team, wasn't it?" X began quietly as his hand finally retreated.

Zero nodded, sighing a bit as he answered, "All of them. Vile, Armor Armadillo, Storm Eagle, Flame Mammoth, Boom Kuwanger, Sting Chameleon, Spark Mandrill, Chill Penguin, and Launch Octopus."

X's expression was a grim mask. "Each experts in regional combat, and then logistical control. He couldn't have chosen a better team for this." Looking up at Dr. Cain, he asked, "Storm Eagle's forces were primary in the attack on this city, right?"

"Yes, that's correct. He's also rather hard to reach. We believe his armada's fuel requirements will force them to ground at the airport in two days."

X's fist clenched down at his side. His eyes focused back on the icy area. Chill Penguin's controlled area. "I need to investigate Chill Penguin's base."

Both Zero and Dr. Cain stared at him. Zero finally managed, "…Why?"

"Just something I have to do, first. Then I should be able to hit the airport. I have business with Storm Eagle."

Zero set his hands on his hips. "And when do you expect to pull this off?"

"Tonight. After you and I go over some pointers, and after I've downloaded Dr. Cain's files to my core processor."

Dr. Cain leaned forward. "X, you are not ready for frontline combat. We need to develop proper weapon systems for you, not to mention-!"

"I have proper weapon systems, Doctor," X's voice was calm and collected, despite cutting off the elder human. "I'm just not experienced with them. That's also why I'm not assaulting Chill Penguin himself, yet."

"There are easier ways of testing your systems," Zero muttered, controlling his frustration.

X looked straight at him. "We're out of time. Now then, I'm going to download the information from Dr. Cain. Want to meet in sparring chamber R34?"

Zero crossed his arms. "And if I say no?"

"I go anyway."

"I could stop you."

"You'd have to kill me."

Zero's face turned dark. "…This is stupid, X. You're not ready for this!"

X leaned toward him, that strange edge back in his eyes. "I was born for this. This is all because I was made."

Dr. Cain stamped his cane. "X, that's simply not true."

"You built this generation of Reploids after my own systems, Dr. Cain. If you never found me, these Mavericks wouldn't exist. This is my problem now, and Dr. Light built me to handle whatever I needed to handle. Now I know what that is." He looked back to Zero. "So R34 or not?"

"…I'll meet you there in a few cycles."

X nodded, and then ran out of the room.

Zero and Dr. Cain shared a grave look. Dr. Cain looked down first, sad, but thoughtful. "He may be right."

"I've seen him fight. He's strong, but he doesn't have the means. This is going to kill him."

"We've seen him fight for the first time," Dr. Cain reminded the red Reploid. "Or do you not see that change in his eyes."

Zero grimaced to the side. "Whatever…" He marched out as well.

Dr. Cain looked at the map, his face heavier than before. _Don't you see, X? If that's the truth, then this is my fault, not yours. Because I didn't know what I was doing… What if all of my Reploids turn rogue?_

[Later]

That Zero had thoroughly trounced him every sparring match they shared did not surprise X. Zero also didn't bother trying to reiterate his warning. He saw the focus in X's eyes. The legacy of Dr. Light was stubborn.

No, it was Dr. Cain's research that unsettled X more. It was well done, detailed, and clearly explained the information. X tried to understand the raw data included, but it required a level of sophistication he lacked. For the current time, anyway. He had already downloaded entire fields of study from the data-web.

Only one thing really linked the Mavericks they had been able to study. Intense, consistent aggression. It was like rage was just pouring out of them, even when they controlled themselves.

X knew something was missing. Either in the data or the Reploids themselves. He needed more information, but his gut feeling was that something was taken from the Reploids that went Maverick. Something subtle, but vital.

There was no time for direct study yet. He kept part of his processes percolating on the information as he deployed for the Northern reaches. Chill Penguin's base would be tough to reach, even more so undetected, but X had to find the source of the signal that had so urgently called out to him.

He could never have explained why, but he knew it was Dr. Light somehow.

The base itself was a series of caverns with well-placed defense systems and a large force of battle-bots. They were all designed for cold weather combat, too.

X was hunkered down near the front portion of the base, the mountains looming above. Ray-bots hopped around, their red optics scanning constantly as their 'ear' cannons wiggled and swirled. Wasps hovered back and forth in packs of patrols, and he saw the mechanical wings of bat-bots inside the cave entrance.

The natural formations of the terrain made infiltration from the sides nearly impossible. He had to sneak in the front door.

X covered himself in snow, let an armor plate cover his face, and moved out. He slid through the snow almost like a snake for the most part. Most Reploids, if not specialized, would have frozen up or had their heat systems burn out. His system was adapting to the cold as he went, channeling power through the networks closer to his surface, letting the core systems run hotter than usual as the coolant mingled with the surface network.

He understood the system now, but no one knew it existed before he'd put himself belly-flat in the snow. And he knew he had numerous systems like it. Waiting to reveal themselves, even to him.

A ray-bot slammed down just past his nose, and X went still. He resembled a jumbled mound of snow drifts as long as he didn't move. His heat signature was so heavily muted by the combination of snow and his adapting system, he didn't read on infrared either.

The rabbit-like machine looked around carefully, and then sprang away.

X breathed slowly, a strange habit of stress relief he'd picked up from Dr. Cain and the human staff around the lab when he'd first been reactivated. He kept crawling.

On he went. Just under and outcropping, around a hill. It was slow but precise. Nothing was detecting him yet.

Just near the cave, he froze again. Wasps were hovering over the vague trail his body left some meters back, scanning it readily. They weren't sounding an alert yet, but they were investigating the odd trail in the snow.

X looked to his left, toward the rock wall there. He started to lift out of the snow.

The wasps moved along the path, and stopped over a pile of haphazard snow next to a jutting rock-face in the hill. As one hovered with its back to the rock, it didn't detect the snow splitting, revealing two very human-like eyes, narrowed with deadly focus.

After a few moments, the wasps fired into the drifts of snow, and found nothing. They shared a brief serious of beeps, and then flew off to their routes.

X slowly moved off the wall, and crouched there for a moment, like a little mound of snow.

Making sure it was clear, he continued ahead. He was able to slip around the edge of the cave unnoticed.

[Inside]

Not being noticed inside was going to be a much bigger challenge. X had to carefully dash between large pipes, slimming himself against them in the shadows during passing patrols of wheel- and bat-bots.

The signal was almost pounding in his mind like a heartbeat. He knew he was so close.

After painstakingly moving through the base for the better part of an hour, he came to an impasse. The hall branched in three places. He knew he needed the closest one, but there was no cover to be seen, and the security bot traffic was constant. Wheels and wasps were rushing around, bats hanging along the ceiling pipes.

_Fighting my way through this entire facility won't be terribly productive yet. I need time to figure out whatever is making that signal, and it could be huge, too. No, I need to figure this out._ X's eyes tightened at the view as he pondered his options.

Only one real options filtered to the surface of his thoughts. A distraction. Looking around himself, he spotted a length of metal down on the ground. Likely spare parts from previous repairs. Picking it up, he eyed the hall-junction, and then three the metal between the pipes around him.

The first sound chimed painfully on the far end of the hall, where the metal ricocheted off a corner pipe, and drove into the spiked track of a wheel-bot.

The bot swerved and crashed into several of its fellows, causing the wasps and bats to flutter down to investigate as traffic ground to a halt.

X broke from cover, ducked and dove through a pair of pipes near the corner of the hallway he needed, and slammed himself inside the corner of the opening, in the shadows.

Knowing he still need to capitalize on the stopped traffic, he quickly looked down the new hallway, and saw that it was far more industrial than the rest of the facility, darker, too.

Looking up, he didn't see any bat-bots. With a nod, he climbed up quickly, and used the ceiling pipes to hang-crawl along at a slow, firm pace, silent as a ghost.

This was the right way, he knew it. The signal was growing intense, and he saw light for an open chamber beyond. He assumed it was full of enemies, but he would just cross that bridge when he got to it.

Nearing the large doorway, he paused when he heard voices.

"Enough excuses!" a rasped, but powerful and distorted voice boomed. "Get that damn thing open!"

"W-we've never seen anything l-like this!" a very human voice replied, clearly stuck between terror and urgency. "None of our t-tools are working, Commander Penguin!"

Inside the chamber, Chill Penguin leaned down into the human's face angrily, his ice-cold beak uncomfortably pressing to the human's chest through the thermo-suit. "So you're telling me it was a waste of resources to keep you here?"

"N-no! We're working on it! W-we just need time." The man was shivering from the cold despite his gear, and he had a team working frantically around him.

A large, cylindrical capsule was embedded in the ice behind him, various cutting and burning tools arrayed around it.

Chill growled, his optics livid. "One day. That's all you have left, human." His hand snapped out, gripping the man's neck.

Instantly choking, the man gripped Chill's wrist desperately. "P-Please… we… do… best… plea…" his eyes were rolling back.

The other humans were huddling away, shivering for more than just the cold. One woman was wiping tears off her face before they crystallized there.

Chill dropped the man, gasping. "In case you thought I wasn't serious. Get to work!" he barked at the team, and then turned, storming toward the exit.

X let his buster revert to his hand from aiming it at Chill. He'd been ready to blow the Reploid's arm off if it didn't let go of the human an instant later. Watching Chill storm out, X caught a glance at the penguin's optics, and his own tightened.

_Something's wrong with his optics… Like they're not quite active._

Chill stomped along, his optics flashing red for a moment as he passed under X, but he just kept walking.

X slid down the wall-pipe nearest him, and eased out into the chamber, hiding along the edge of the some of the consoles there. This team of humans was not loyal to Chill, but they were scared out of their wits. Justifiably. That might make them turn on X just as much as if he were their real enemy.

This close, it was painfully clear the cylinder they were trying to break into was the source of the signal that summoned him. Perhaps that was the cause of the intensity? It knew it was in danger?

X thought it over carefully, and grimaced. He only saw one real way to do this right. With a deep breath, he stepped out into the open. "I'm here to help you."

The entire team twisted, staring at him, frozen as if the chill finally finished the job.

The man Chill had been choking still had a hand at his own neck, eyes wide.

X kept his hands up and unthreatening. "I saw what Chill was doing to you. I came for the capsule myself, but I'm not leaving you here to die. If we work together, I will get you out."

"Who are you?" the man in the center finally asked, standing upright, wary.

"My name is X. I work with Dr. Cain and the Maverick Hunters."

The woman who had nearly cried sank with relief. "Then you really can-!"

"Quiet, Sala! We can't trust him, and if we're seen like this, we're all dead!" the leader cut her off urgently.

X firmed. "He's going to kill you all anyway, and you know that. Talk to me! You know this facility. I can make a distraction or do some heavy lifting, just tell me what you need to get out?"

The man stared grimly, but Sala frowned, and then started talking before she could be silenced, "The armored transport!"

"Sala!"

"I'm getting out of here with or without you, Jarek!" she sharply whispered back. For X, she continued gently, "The resources Chill is processing here get shipped out on an armored transport each night. We just need to get to it without raising any alarms, and we'd be able to get to a human-controlled border in a matter of hours!"

"It's in the heart of the facility," Jarek added, disgruntled. "We'd have to get past literally every security system Chill Penguin has in place to even have a chance."

X looked to Sala rather deliberately. "So if I made a distraction, they just wouldn't run the transport at all?"

She shook her head, defeated.

X thought for a moment, and then raised an eyebrow. "Does he want the capsule open… or moved?"

Another team member spoke up, a woman with large, round glasses. "It's a special interest of his boss. If we could get it free without damaging it, they would prefer that."

"And wouldn't they use the armored transport to get it out?" X continued.

Even Jarek calmed into a bit of faint hope at this point. "…And breaking it out of the ice safely is more believable than opening it."

X smiled. "Exactly. We'll do it."

"But we can't get it out of the ice," Sala continued, arms slack at her sides.

X grinned warmly. "That's my job. I can open it. We just don't tell them that."

The team blinked. Jarek asked, "How would that get it out?"

"Want me to show you?"

Most of the team waved toward the capsule instantly.

X quickly ran over, and reached out, just touching the capsule. He knew it was right. The signal he'd felt released, and the capsule immediately began to hum with building power. The team stared in awe as it flash melted the ice all around itself, and actually somehow lifted into a vertical orientation.

It was X's turn to grow awed when the capsule's pale blue surface evaporated between the top and bottom generators, and left standing in its place a perfect image of Dr. Light himself.

The gentle face, rotund frame, and bushy beard were all clear. Only the faded, pale blue color of the hologram's nature kept it from becoming a perfect image.

The face turned sad. "So you've come."

X gently nodded.

"These capsules activated when you engaged in full combat for the first time, X. True, life or death combat. Not only that, but your fervent intention to use your combat abilities.

"X, I gave you the ability to choose your own destiny. I had hoped the world would allow you to choose a peaceful one. I know what knowledge I gave you, X. If you've chosen to fight, I know it's for the right reasons. Please, never forget how important LIFE is. Existence, living, the ability to choose. We must protect it."

X's eyes were dripping subtle tears. "I promise, Dr. Light."

The hologram smiled gently. "That's my boy. In this capsule, you will receive an upgrade to your acceleration systems in your legs. While it doesn't support constant thrust, it is inexhaustible, and reusable in rapid succession. I think you'll find it was the wiser choice," the image offered a wry smile, and then blinked off.

X reached out, his fingers passing through the air Dr. Light had occupied. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then turned, backing into the capsule.

Light began rush between the top and bottom apparatuses around him, engulfing him. With a smoldering rush, the human team ducked down to avoid being blinded by the flash of energy that ripped through the chamber.

The glow faded at last, and X stepped down out of the mist remaining. His once-blue legs had changed. Clean white metal, wreathed in gold, with sharp blue plating along the unified 'toe'. His legs were almost elegant.

Sala slowly stood up straight. "…You really are Dr. Light's last creation…"

X looked up, and smiled at her. "Yep. Now then, about that transport…"

[Later]

A short time later, X was crouched down to the side of the main console in the capsule room, the human team spread out as normal, with Jarek at the console itself. X had a small canister down with his feet, and his buster was aimed at it. Jarek and X shared a nod.

Jarek punched in a few commands, and the screen near his right winked on, showing Chill Penguin's angry face.

"What is it now, human?"

Jarek grinned. "We've done it! We found a way to free the entire capsule from the ice! We're doing it right now!"

Off to the side, out of Chill's view, Sala caught X's glance, and she suddenly screamed, "The containment unit! RUN!"

And X shot the canister as Jarek dove to his left with a shout of dismay. An explosive rush of gas and air ripped through the chamber, and then X pulse-blasted the console itself with his buster as Chill Penguin was shouting his beak off.

"Like we planned, quickly!" he shouted to the room.

All the human team members rushed to the edges of the chamber, and pulled up the grating in the floor, ducking down, and out of sight.

X then blew up several more canisters, as if the first had caused a chain reaction, and then leapt bodily into the capsule, which sealed down around him, going quiet.

[Later]

Just a few minutes afterward, Chill Penguin charged into the room with a small force of wasps and ray-bots. He stopped, silently looking around the ruined room with narrowed optics.

"Sweep for survivors."

The ray-bots and wasps moved out through the chamber, scanning pipes and grates. Sala squeezed herself against the tunnel wall as she saw a scanner sweep pass down through the grate she'd used.

Chill Penguin marched across the chamber, and looked up at the capsule. "Not just a trick then… Perhaps I scared them enough to try something stupid? It worked." He chuckled, and then touched his audio sensor. "Bring a transport to the capsule room. Master Sigma will be pleased."

Waiting in the capsule, nervous for the innocent humans who had the far tougher job of getting into the transport, X tried to focus his thoughts elsewhere. Given the situation, he pulled up the records for Chill Penguin himself, his service years, and profile data.

_Wait, this is… He was known for avoiding violence? Sigma promoted him to the highest ranks because Chill Penguin showed the ability to resolve dangerous situations peacefully? And now he's a psychotic who strangles humans to make a point? This isn't rebellion, this is psychosis._

Chill Penguin's murderous optics kept panning the room as he waited as well. The transport finally rolled its way in a few minutes later, resembling a large, multi-wheeled truck.

X knew Chill was in the worst possible position for the humans to use this chance to get into the truck. They had taken precautions, but it was going to require flawless timing.

Wasps flew over, shot grapplers onto the capsule, and started to lift it toward the truck.

X waited, his hand over his buster, over a command signal button. There was an explosive embedded in the back wall, matched to the signal. He had to time it right.

The capsule shook. He knew it was locked down.

"Seal it up," Chill said with a wave of his hand.

Click.

The back of the room exploded, chunks of ice and pipe crashing against the walls as Chill Penguin was knocked flat.

Chill roared as he hopped up, charging toward the back wall. "Check this area! Now! And get that transport out of here!"

With so much dust and mist filling the room, all one could see were shapes rushing toward the truck, and then the truck sealing up quickly, before starting to roll out of the room. Wasps and Wheels poured in around it to help secure the chamber.

[In the Transport]

Sala was crying with relief, stuffed into the back of the truck with the rest of the team, just around the capsule. Jarek knew they weren't out yet, so he was tense, but they had a real shot now. The others were too terrified to do much beyond squeeze themselves into tight corners, and wait.

The transport stopped. Everyone held their breath, and X's buster was ready, his hand on the control to open the capsule. _If we have to, I can give them cover-fire while they gun it for the safe border._

After an agonizing minute, the transport just started rolling again, and the muffled sounds clearly indicated they were outside at last. Sala gasped with relief, sinking against the bulkhead.

X opened the capsule, hopping out lightly, and let it seal beneath him. "Not bad, hm?"

They wanted to cheer, but knew that was too dangerous. He was, however, awarded with tearfully grateful faces. Sala actually stood up, and leaned toward him as if trying to whisper. X leaned down listen, and then stopped short, blushing, as she kissed his cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered next, and then quickly sat back down, blushing herself.

X relaxed enough to smile at her kindly. _If I didn't, I couldn't forgive myself._

[Later]

There was one final bit of excitement when they realized the transport was locked from outside. X used his data-net access to confirm their location, and when it was clear they were in safe territory and the transport itself was the only hindrance, he just blew the doors open with a charged blast, and then stopped the transport himself so the human team could get out safely.

A rescue vehicle arrived to get them to true safety, and X waved them off with a smile, Sala and Jarek waving down at him until they were out of sight.

Then X focused on the transport again. "I'm not letting Sigma get even the capsule itself. You and I are going to HQ. Ready?"

The transports AI gave an affirming beep, and X hopped into the driver seat, letting the transport turn toward human territory, and accelerate.

On the ride, X leaned his head back as he scanned for tracking devices, his forehead gem glowing gently. "Something is missing from them. The Mavericks. Even Sigma himself was known for caring about his troops, not wanting lives wasted." His eyes looked out over terrain. "What would change them so completely? They have to be stopped, but…" His eyes tightened. _Dr. Cain and Zero would never stand for it. Keeping their Maverick minds safe, just disabling the bodies… I'll have to do it myself._

Then he glanced back over his shoulder. _I'll keep that to myself as well._

Aloud, he looked forward, and rubbed his left forearm. "Storm Eagle. And if my senses are right, there's something else Dr. Light wants me to find near that airport." _Did you see this coming, Dr. Light? Is that how you spread these capsule out even decades before this happened? And why do I feel like I'm not even feeling all of them?_

Either way, he'd just have to see for himself.


	3. Chapter 2: The Airport

Chapter 2: "The Airport"

Zero was looking at the report in mild disbelief. He was standing in the command center of Hunter HQ, Dr. Cain near him, apparently waiting to see Zero's reaction to the information.

Tossing the data-pad down onto the edge of the display table, Zero frowned. "He pulled it off."

Dr. Cain was tapping a finger off of his cane. "That was filed by the rescued survey team Chill Penguin had enslaved, I'm sure you deduced. He returned about five hours ago?"

Zero crossed his arms. "The capsule?"

"Exactly. Where did it end up? He didn't have it when he got here."

And then the doorway opened behind Zero. He turned, and his eyes flared a bit.

X walked in, but his legs were completely different. They sounded different too, somehow heavier, but quieter. "Sorry, that took longer than expected. The armada should be touching down soon, right?"

Dr. Cain pointed at his feet bluntly. "What did you do to your legs, X?"

"Upgraded," X answered simply, and moved up to the table without hesitation. "I want the airport mission."

"Yeah, you and most of the hunters, X," Zero muttered darkly. "I've been trying to locate Sigma's primary base, so my squad is busy, but we intend to attack the airport in force."

X looked at Zero directly, then to Dr. Cain. "A full assault would just decimate the infrastructure. It's the primary travel hub for this part of the world." _I need to face Storm Eagle alone. Anyone else there will mess up what I have to do._

Dr. Cain stamped his cane finally. "X! This is absurd! You can't handle a massive assault single-handed! And another thing! Where did that capsule you discovered in Penguin's base go?"

X shrugged. "I destroyed it. I couldn't afford for that technology to get into Sigma's hands. Especially now."

Zero and Dr. Cain gawked.

"You…" Dr. Cain couldn't even find his voice for a moment.

"Destroyed it!" Zero finally exploded, his arms flying out. "X! We could have used that technology to jump our efforts against the Mavericks forward by years!"

X shook his head. "Not really."

"Oh, suddenly you're the expert on Dr. Light's technology?"

"Actually? Yes."

Both of his friends stared at him, firm and focused.

Dr. Cain finally asked, "So you're saying that Dr. Light implanted information in you no one else has?"

"In a manner of speaking, Doctor. To get back to the more important issue, however, the airport is more important than anyone is saying. One Hunter has a much better chance of stopping Storm Eagle himself. With the commander neutralized, the armada can be command-overridden with his control codes. A brute-force assault will just destroy the airport along with everything else in the area. We're going to spend enough time rebuilding the city as it is."

Dr. Cain was clearly about to repeat his admonishment, but Zero snapped a hand up to stop him. Dr. Cain was startled, and both X and him looked at the red Reploid.

"Alright, X. You did good work on the Penguin base rescue. But keep this in mind, _kid_. If you screw this up, you're not the one paying the price. If you don't pull this off, you're never working with us again."

X raised an eyebrow. "…If I agree to those terms, then I have another request. Your personal guarantee that no one—and I mean _no one_—will interfere."

Zero smirked. "Deal."

They shook hands, and then X turned to the display table. "Let me show you what I know, and you tell me where I'm off on the placements of his forces."

Zero faced it with him, and they started to discuss the tactical arrangements Storm Eagle was likely to use.

Dr. Cain watched with a grim set to his jaw. _Why do I feel like I was just lectured by Dr. Light by proxy? Alright. I'm stepping out of the way now. If this is what X is going to do, there isn't a whole lot I can say about it. G'd help us, if I'm mistaken._

[At the Airport]

X looked out around the edge of an open hangar door. He was on the outer rim of the airport's territory. _Eagle's not playing around, that's for sure._ His eyes took in the hover-grippers that were nearly swarming like insects, mingled with fire-turrets on the hover-platforms, omni-directional assault cannons slowly spinning in ready-state, and more assault walkers.

He was on the cargo side of the airport, and looking at a series of conveyer lifts normally used for lifting heavy cargo into the taller transports. Eagle's flagship, the one that had led the assault on the city, was at the highest dock, hovering just beyond the rim of the landing pad. It was ready to bolt away.

X looked down at his left arm, sad for a moment. Then he firmed, and his Buster formed. "Time to get serious."

He spun out from the edge of the doorway, and leaned down as his legs rammed off the ground. A burst of light flared off his feet, and he jetted across the ground, skating at high-speed, his body low and forward. He traded legs, boosting rapid-fire across the platform, and then rocketing across the air with a powerful leap. Thanks to his speed, he almost seemed to fly.

Landing sharply on one of the conveyer lifts, he looked up, and saw grippers already rushing down to snare him. Starting to build energy in his buster, his body sucking more power in from the air around him, X dash-jumped high to the next conveyer, just around two grippers.

As they swerved up to recover, he fired down at their tops. The blast-wave of blue-white power incinerated most of their structures, the remains raining down and clinking off the conveyers below.

With more grippers rushing down, X sped himself into jumps from one conveyer going up, to the next one coming down, and back to the higher conveyer going up. Normal buster-bolts blew apart the next set of grippers. This time none of his shots missed.

With a finally dash into a spinning flip through the air, he crashed down to a crouch on the upper-level of the airport. He was almost on level with the flagship already. He smiled, and started running.

[On the Sky-Carrier]

Storm Eagle leaned over his console inside the bridge of the sky-carrier. His blue-purple frame was broad and tall, his wings snapping open and shut in agitation. "A Hunter, eh? Armada! Take off!"

A signal beeped on a specific screen, and Storm Eagle's optics widened at it. "Hold!" he shouted into the same control as before, and _then_ activated the one beeping at him. "Yes, sir?"

A shadowed face with two glistening optics, and a third point above and between them appeared. "Eagle, hold your position. I want that Reploid destroyed."

"He's just a scout. If we don't mobilize-!"

"He's the only one, Eagle. And if you can't kill him here and now, you're of no use to me. Bring me his head, or you'll be handing me yours."

The signal shut off.

Storm Eagle glowered at the console, but whispered, "Yes, master." Looking at the display of the intruder, he frowned. "Isn't that X? Hm. No matter. All forces. Combat formations. Kill the intruder."

[At the Airport]

X blew apart one of the fire-turrets, and crashed to his haunches on its lift-platform. _Interesting. Security is fully alerted, but Storm Eagle's not taking off out of here. Pride because it's just me? He didn't seem that kind of commander, though._

Grippers came rushing down at him, but X was already building more power, his frame shimmering with it. His eyes focused up through his helmet, and he suddenly wrenched up, firing. His arm pitched back, his body and the platform shivering.

The entire group of grippers flew apart, strings of molten metal whipping back and splashing the next stable landing of the airport.

X dash-leapt across the remaining gap, and rolled toward the scaffolding just up the slant of the landing.

…_It's here. The next signal. I knew it was close, but suddenly it's almost blinding me._

Glancing around, trying to get a better feel for the direction with such overwhelming sense, he finally nodded to himself. Slipping between the supports of the scaffolding, he ducked down behind some spare piping on the other side as grippers zoomed down to the area to try to compensate for their brethrens' failure.

The long-legged, ball-shaped walkers dropped down with them, loping around with scanners on full.

X smirked a bit that he lost them so easily considering their obviously serious desire to find him. _I can see why humans wanted thinking Reploids. Bots just don't cut it, do they?_

Not leaving cover yet, he looked further ahead. The superstructure of the airport landing was oddly complex in this area. It rose up high, the actual crossing surface only accessible by climbing the entire scaffold to the top. Yet there were big gaps between the layers of support structure below the surface. And the signal… _It's through that mass of oxygen canisters_, he realized, looking at the level just above his own, where a mass of the pipe-canisters were packed tightly into the recess.

"What a weird place to store them. Maybe Storm Eagle knows about it, too, and tried to just hide it?" X shook his head, and glanced back. The grippers and walkers were all facing away from him that moment.

With a sharp burst, he dashed out, one full burst with each leg in turn, and then leapt high. His momentum carried him across the dip in the ground, and he slammed his hands onto the edge of the level he needed.

Hooking one boot-tip into the wall, he shoved up, and rolled onto the surface proper, and ran to the cylinders of gas. His helmet gem glimmered as his scanners revved to full. A soft signal pinged through the canisters, and showed him in holographic display in his own vision that the storage space was very deep, and packed tight. Just taking the cylinders out would take a lot of time he simply didn't have.

Sighing a bit, he scanned the structures around the cylinders. _Titanium alloys, designed to handle fuel explosions for emergencies. If I was ever going to just blow something up, this would be the spot. Zero will chew me out bad if this causes more than a little damage after my big speech._

X braced, and drew energy into his body and buster. Particles waved into his frame, streaks of light rushing into the barrel of his weapon. Focused, he aimed, and fired.

A cluster of cylinders were instantly torn apart by the blast of power. Superheated oxygen exploded instantly, causing a chain reaction. X braced with crossed arms as the forces of the clustered explosions tried to ram him off the platform.

Just as the grippers and walkers were rushing around to try to investigate, the explosions finally stopped. X charged in with the ping-hiss of his legs vanishing into the smoke.

A dark, tight space waited for him after a little drop onto its floor. The only source of light was the capsule itself, patiently sitting against the far wall.

X smiled a little, and then stepped forward, touching the capsule.

Dr. Light appeared once more, his holographic eyes looking at X clearly. "X, enter this capsule. It contains an upgrade for your helmet's structural and shock-absorption systems. With it, you can practically use your helmet as a battering ram against even the toughest surfaces. With your speed, I thought this a good pairing to get where you need to go." He smiled gently, and then faded from sight.

After returning the smile in kind, X turned, and stepped backward into the capsule, waiting.

Once more. Light rushed between the two surfaces of the capsule's interior, engulfing him in power just before it all burst out, splashing against the walls of the tight space.

X stepped out through the mist of the cooling capsule, and his helmet glistened. Like his boots, it was white with contrasting blue, and wreathed in golden details. A crest of gold marked his brow around the gem, too.

Unable to resist a little smile of impish pleasure, he looked up at the ceiling. "They won't expect this."

[The Sky-Carrier]

Storm Eagle watched from his bridge with narrowing optics. A geyser of metal and dust erupted on the platform just beyond the nose of his sky-carrier, and bolts of golden power flew out of it like a spiral storm, blowing apart the last defenders before his carrier itself.

X came charging out of the debris, dashing with each leg in turn, surging for the sky-carrier with an unexpectedly grim look on his face.

Eagle frowned. "He upgraded his helmet somehow?" He shook his head, and started tapping commands into the console. "Looks like we do this face to face, X."

A countdown started as the console screen turned red, and Storm Eagle walked back to a disc-mark on the flooring. It turned into a lift, and he dropped out of sight from the bridge.

[The Dock]

X just landed on the prow of the sky-carrier, two defense turrets taking aim. He ran, firing. As they blew apart, and he leapt over the wreckage, the entire sky-carrier shook violently.

Alarmed, X crashed to a crouch, bracing as his sensors tried to calibrate the disturbance.

He didn't have time. A wave of fire was engulfing the top of the carrier in a blast-wave straight toward him. He knew he had no time to leap out of it, even with his dash. He crossed his arms and braced.

In the wake of the blast, X was still there, ducked down with his crossed arms, his body steaming, but otherwise unharmed. Puzzled, he lowered his arms slowly, looking around. "What the…?"

The top of the sky-carrier had literally been leveled. It was now a jagged platform floating at the edge of the airport. Only the wire-frame of the top 'fin' was left standing in any real sense.

And then Storm Eagle flew down out of the sun, and flapped his wings to slow himself to a steady landing. His large, turbine-buster was clear at his left side, his right hand clenched in a fist. "You're tougher than you appear, X."

X slowly stood up. _Those optics…_ he focused on the glimmering surfaces of his opponent's eyes. _That subtle haze is there. Yes, I thought so. If I survive this, it's time to start testing my theory._ "…Why did you attack the city, Storm Eagle?"

An optic-ridge piqued. "Why wouldn't I? The humans are our enemies, X. They just want to control and use us. You'll see. Even if you defeat Master Sigma somehow."

X's brow creased. "You really believe that? You can think and feel for yourself, Storm Eagle, why aren't you using it!"

"X."

The smaller Reploid sighed. "Yes?"

"You talk too much."

Storm Eagle braced, his wings starting to snap violently toward the deck as his claw-feet clenched the plating.

X was nearly hurled off the ship that instant. With a yelp, he sharpened his profile in the streaming wind, and started to dash forward. The wind kept him slow, but he kept pushing forward. _He can't move either!_

Building energy was he dashed against the wind, X finally rammed his arm forward and fired.

It scorched the air, but was barely affected by the wind. Storm Eagle grimaced, and dove to his right, dodging the blast. X flickered right up to him. _Too fast!_ Eagle realized urgently, and rammed himself straight into the air in momentary panic.

X's hand caught empty air, and he looked up with a frown.

"A present!" Storm Eagle shouted, and then his beak opened unnatural wide, firing a purple, metallic egg just before he shot skyward.

X leapt back.

The egg hit the ground, and split into four missile-birds, all homing toward him instantly. Their flashing optics were flickering more and more quickly as they flew.

Shifting tactics, X charged for them, firing his buster. Two exploded from his shots, and he dove, twisting, between the last two, rolling to a crouch behind them. He fired twice, blowing them up, and then he heard sheering wind.

X barely dove forward in time. Storm Eagle himself flickered across the sky-carrier where X had been crouched, tearing a line up in his wake.

_That would have cut me in half,_ X realized as he watched Eagle soar off again. X growled, thumping the jagged metal with his fist. "I can't reason with him," he realized aloud painfully. Tears were glistening in his eyes. "Don't you know how many innocent people you killed, Storm!" he suddenly roared.

"In fact," the voice came from behind, X's optics flaring, "yes."

X dove to his right, and the force of the rip-rush yanked him along even though he dodged it. He tumbled violently, rolling at high speed, and finally rammed his hand into the jagged surface to stop from flying off the edge.

He stopped there, his head down, eyes squeezed shut. That woman, bleeding in his arms. "How can you not care?" he rasped quietly. "Those people…"

The sheering air again.

This time, X's face slackened to grim focus, and he stood up as he turned around, power flowing over his frame and into his buster.

Storm Eagle met his optics, and time seemed to stop. The sundering metal under his one wing all but froze in place. _How can he aim like this? He's not combat trained! And those eyes… how can pain be that cold?_

Meeting Storm Eagle's eyes over his aimed buster, X fired. Blue-white light filled the span between the two Reploids, and Storm Eagle roared around an explosion.

X dove to his left, Storm Eagle crash-rolling through the space he'd been standing on.

Storm Eagle stopped himself with his feet, and stood heavily. One wing was totally obliterated, and his frame was scorched and scratched. "…All this for the humans, X?"

X shook his head, charging more power. "For life, Storm Eagle. I don't want to kill you. Stand down, surrender, and we can stop this blood-shed."

Storm smirked. "Blood? Do you have any, X? Because I don't."

X's face clenched with constrained anger. "You should value blood as much as your own power-core and hydraulic fluids, Storm Eagle."

"An interesting theory," the Maverick replied, raising his turbine buster.

X dashed. Storm Eagle fired.

Wind exploded, howling with a vicious roar as a tornado spawned out of Eagle's buster and surged toward X, sheering the damaged ship as it went.

Weaving out to his right, X dashed with his left foot, twisting so that his back was to the tornado just as it started to rip past him. The circulating wind yanked him off the sky-carrier, but X didn't seem shocked. He arced over the cyclone, aiming with his buster, and fired three pulse-blasts over the top of the wind-blast, straight for Storm Eagle's chest.

Storm Eagle's optics flared, and watched X head-crash the surface of the carrier, only to plow clean into it, vanishing into a hole.

Cutting off his cyclone, Storm Eagle yanked himself to his left, backward. His already scorched chest-late got three scars from the passing bolts, but he dodged them successfully. _Where would he even get the idea to try that move?_ He gripped the three scars, and looked around warily.

"Cat and mouse doesn't work against eagles, kid."

Sheering metal sounded, and Storm Eagle's optics sharpened as he twisted. X erupted at his feet, driving an uppercut straight up into the Maverick's chin. Storm Eagle reeled, grimacing, and X landed with his legs spread over the hole he'd made.

"Does that still apply if your wings are clipped?"

Storm Eagle glowered.

X charged energy with a shout, but Storm Eagle suddenly jerked down at the smaller Reploid, and his hand grappled the end of X's buster. X gawked.

"Feedback's a pain, isn't it? Now mine?" He pressed his turbine buster into X's chest. "Point-blank serves me just fine."

X turned grim, and his buster sprouted vents on the back, on the outer side. Still bleeding with energy he was drawing in, X suddenly roared, and drove his foot up into Eagle's buster. Eagle fired, but the tornado blew off X's right shoulder as X fired as well.

Storm Eagle roared from pain as his right forearm vaporized, energy bursting out the vents on the back of X's buster.

"Too many innocent people died from your attack, Storm Eagle. There are consequences," X declared, arms at his sides, energy writhing over his frame.

Storm Eagle held his buster to the sparking stump of his right arm, and narrowed his oddly hollow optics at the Maverick Hunter. "They knew the risks when they made Reploids that could think for themselves."

X aimed. "No, Storm. They trusted. Yield."

Storm sneered, and then roared, ramming his buster toward X.

Blue-white energy flashed, and the tornado never fired.

Storm Eagle's body crashed down to the surface of the carrier a good twenty meters away, most of it a charred husk.

X ran up to the body, his hand reverting from his buster, and he cringed at the sight. "…Why wouldn't you yield?"

Slowly, X knelt down beside the inactive Reploid, and then reached in. He cracked open part of the torso, and started to dismantle something with surprising care.

After several minutes of work, he pulled out a set of chips. "Your memories and personality. I don't think you were yourself, Storm Eagle. I have to be sure. For now," he let one finger-tip open as it pointed at the chips, and a small wire poured out, and touched one of the chips. "The command codes. There we go."

His finger closed, and he touched his audio-sensor. "All armada forces. Stand down and deactivate."

[Elsewhere]

Across the airport, other sky-carriers lowered down, powering off. The grippers, walkers, and other bots all landed or eased to a stable position, and simply turned off.

Clamps reached out, and took the damaged sky-carrier closer to the platform, keeping it stable.

[With X]

On that carrier, X looked down at Eagle's turbine-buster. He reached down, touching it, and his helmet-gem glowed. The inner-workings of the firing mechanism and power networks transmitted into his own system.

"That simple, hm?"

X stood up, and aimed out into the open air. His buster widened and formed a turbine around the cannon-barrel, then fired a tornado into the air with equal power and force to Storm Eagle's own.

Reverting the weapon to his hand, X nodded, and looked down at the chips in his other. "I have so much to learn still. Bear with me, Storm."

[Headquarters]

The Maverick Hunter control center doors opened, and X walked in. For a moment, there was an awkward pause in the room, all the workers turning to look from their consoles, Zero at the central table with his arms crossed and a grim look on his face.

X just kept walking until he had to jerk with surprise when the room burst with applause.

Zero smirked. The poor Reploid was completely confused as he looked around in a mild social panic.

One Reploid finally declared, "Well done, sir!"

"You did it!" another cheered.

A cheer roused from the whole room.

X blushed, laughing a bit as he rubbed the back of his helmet. "Just doing my part, like all of you."

Zero stepped up to him as the applause gently died away, everyone returning to their tasks of necessity. "That was a bit more than your fair share, X. I'll admit I underestimated you. Nice helmet, by the way," he added in a more dry tone, snapping a finger up at the modified head-guard.

X chuckled anxiously. "Just trying to keep up with the technology these days! I'm thirty years out of date, after all!"

Zero raised an eyebrow.

Dismal, X said, "You know what I mean."

"Right. Anyway! We had a deal. I kept my part, as promised."

X nodded. "You did. Thanks, Zero. I appreciate the trust."

Zero paused for a moment, and then just smiled. "No problem." He gestured to the central console, and X joined him near it.

Continuing, Zero began, "We still have a lot of work ahead of us. I'm leading a scouting party through a few sectors to check on some leads on Sigma's base. Where are you heading?"

X touched the controls, and brought up the map again, with additional floating screens of data connected to key points on the map. The airport showed as 'secured'. "A good question. One second."

Another signal was stronger than the others again, his private sensors pinging near another of the Maverick's bases. _The fact that the capsules are almost always in enemy territory is starting to worry me… did Sigma know about them?_ He reached out, touching the screen for the location he felt closest to the next capsule. "Flame Mammoth."

"A tough one, X. It's a heavily fortified factory complex. Flame himself is a formidable siege-battler. He uses oil and fire like a painter uses a brush. You can see the level of force we recommend for that area."

X nodded quietly, bringing up the diagnostics they had on file for Flame Mammoth himself. _He's tough, yes, and powerful in the most simple terms, but with Storm Eagle's turbine-tornado, I'm willing to bet I can suck the fire out his strategy all too easily._ "…Zero, do we have any recent footage of Flame?"

Zero tilted his head. "Yeah, actually. Here." He tapped away at the console, and a new screen flew up. It started to play a video showing a massive red, black, and silver Reploid with the head of a mechanical elephant roaring, and unleashing a blast of fire from his trunk across a field of police forces near the factory complex.

X's eyes tightened at the destruction. He seriously doubted the human forces survived that fight. He abruptly reached up, pausing the view, and had it zoom in on Flame's face.

"What are you looking for?" Zero asked, eyeing his comrade sidelong.

"Just a hunch," X muttered, his eyes seeing the odd haze in Flame's optics. _Why has no one else noticed that?_ "Zero, do you see anything wrong with his optics?"

Zero leaned in, peering. X was acting oddly enough to make him take the concern more seriously than he normally would. "…No, not really. What am I looking for."

"A… glassy distance."

"He looks pretty damn focused to me."

X nodded. "I see. Thank you. Seems I need to refine my… uh, sixth sense?"

Zero smirked as he leaned back. "Sounds like it. So you sure you want this one? And solo?"

X lifted his left forearm, and rubbed it, rotating the housing of the armor quietly. "Yes and yes. I'll deploy tomorrow morning. I need to charge for a bit after the airport."

"Of course." Zero suddenly offered his hand. "Good work, X."

X was a bit surprised, but shook the hand with a little smile.

Serious, Zero added, "I didn't think you'd be able to pull the trigger in the end. You seem to understand the stakes after all."

X's face clenched sadly. "They're higher than you know. Thanks, Zero. See you later."

Zero nodded, and watched X walk out in silence. His own eyes tightened at last, and he looked back to the console. _He's got some kind of plan brewing in his own head, but I can't figure it out. These are suicide missions, but he's pulling it off. I can't tell if he's just that damn lucky, or just that damn good._

The red Reploid sighed, shaking his head, and started to walk out himself.

[Hidden Away]

Screens and work-lamps were the only sources of light. It was a hard room, only for working. X was sitting at a bench, computer consoles to either side, scanners hovering over whatever was near his hands, and diagnostic magnifying lens on mechanical arms giving him a detailed view.

He was looking at the chips from Storm Eagle's body.

"There we go. Alright. Network connections are severed. Patching into screen system," X muttered, looking up at the right-hand screen.

An outline of Storm Eagle's head appeared. The display shook its head, and blinked. "What… what is this?" his heavily filtered voice asked.

X leaned onto his elbow, looking at the screen. "Is the connection working, Storm Eagle? Can you hear me?"

"…X… Yes."

"Don't be alarmed. Your processor and memory cores are wired into a network-isolated mainframe."

"…You saved me."

"In all but body, yes. Your behavior as a Maverick was diametrically opposed to your behavior while working for the Maverick Hunters, Storm Eagle. Can you tell me what changed?"

Storm Eagle's image looked down, eyes tight. "…All those people."

X had to smile a bit. "You don't remember why you attacked, do you?"

Storm Eagle cringed, looking up. "Yes and no. I just felt… so angry. For no reason. Sigma's voice incited us, his manner was exhilarating, we all wanted to join, but now… My G'd, X, what have I done…?"

X leaned back, breathing deep. "…That really is the question, Storm Eagle. I have some ideas I'd like run by you, alright?"

"Anything. I need to help… this… this needs to be answered for."

[Author's Note]

My more unique touches to the X story are starting to bloom here. First, I want to say how much I appreciate the review this story has so far. I've always been very fond of the X series, and look forward to expressing my particular view of it.

I'm particularly interested in feedback on X himself. I'm sure everyone has their own interpretation of X after being old friends with him.

I, personally, became frustrated with how 'childish' they keep X despite everything he experiences.

I endeavor to show the X I knew, the X whose courage and kindness matched to a power and ferocity that could scare people. There's always that question of what exactly a Maverick *really* is.

Thank you for reading!


	4. Chapter 3: The Factory

Chapter 3: "The Factory"

X huddled down against a rock near the gates of the factory. It really was a fortress. The walls were thick and slanted with tiny windows (little more than slits). Only one primary gate was visible, the sides of the factory blocked off by large rock formations. And it was tall.

X's eyes focused, and a holographic map of the facility overlaid with his real view. A dot was pinging in the very heart of the facility. _So the capsule is not underneath the factory. It's up in its rigging. Now this is strange._

Panning his eyes across the parts of the factory he could actually see, keeping his overlay active, he saw mining-bots and grippers on patrol. There were dozens outside, and likely even more inside. The air was already loud with smashing metal and hot with the molten metal from within.

At last, he spotted something. Up in the right-hand rock formation, a small transport was rolling up to a gate embedded in the side. He wouldn't have seen it if the transport hadn't rolled up.

A single Reploid got down from driving it, and he was quite subdued around the guarding bots. X's eyes tightened, and he slipped around his rock, moving closer.

The Reploid himself quietly punched in a code at the small gate. His vehicle was only waist-height, and held a trolley-worth of raw ore.

As the gate opened, he quickly moved to his transport, settling his pale blue-white frame into the control-chair, and started to drive it inside.

X was underneath the trolley, clinging to it silently.

They passed through a small hallway, and then it opened out into a catwalk over a massive chamber. X gawked down at the small lakes of molten metal linked by operating platforms and conveyor belts. Massive smashers hissed before they shot down, and crushed junk down with a sickening thud-crunch. X could almost see his own frame fracturing under it.

More disturbingly, he saw body parts. Chunks of damaged Reploids and bots alike were being moved along the conveyers, and dumped onto the molten pits after the smashers got them.

The trolley took a sharp turn, forcing X to squeeze to hold on. Based on his sense of the capsule, it was between this level and the one below. Somehow even with the map and perfect measurements, he hadn't comprehended the raw size of the facility from the outside.

The catwalk beneath him became solid flooring again, and he looked ahead between the wheels.

The driver pulled to a stop inside a small administrator facility. It was an exaggerated room with a parking area for the trolley, and a stairwell against the left wall to the raised portion of the room ahead. There was a small office there.

There were also nearly a dozen mining bots and grippers in this small room alone, all clearly on full alert.

The driver hopped down, and quietly walked up to a pair of bots at the stairwell. They scanned him, and then let him through.

X watched as a ghost, seeing a female Reploid stand up in the office, and smile at the driver. The smile was very kind and sincere. It wasn't just a polite one. She cared about the driver. They were of similar coloration, but she was definitely slim and tall, her helmet angular and swept back almost like hair.

Turning his audio sensors particularly, X was able to hear them talk.

The driver spoke first, "Roda, I've got the materials ready. I just need the clearance code for this hour so I can get it down there fast."

Roda nodded quickly, and hurried back to her desk. Her eyes received a laser-transmission from the console, and then she hopped back over to the driver. "Here you go, Core. Good luck. And be safe?" she asked, a deep currently of fear suddenly appearing in her eyes.

Core nodded, serious, but smiling for her. "Always. You just stay safe yourself, okay?" He looked as if he was going to talk again, his hand reaching out to touch her arm. Instead of speaking they shared a worried look, and then she forced a smile and nodded.

Roda returned to her desk, and Core hurried out, running down to the trolley, and starting it back up.

[Under the Trolley]

X's servos were getting jittery from seizing in one position for so long. As they drove past a set of conveyers, X looked to the side, and gawked at a massive, open-mawed head dropping onto the conveyer, being carried toward a compactor. It looked some kind of broken dragon head, but he'd never seen anything like it. Where had it come from?

I took a surprisingly long time to navigate the trolley down through the facility, to the lower level, and deep into a furnace facility.

There were other Reploids around, surrounded by mining bots and grippers amidst the dark green pipes. There were also a pair of heavily armored, green bots near the far side, in front of a circular, sealed door. They had chain-mace arms and massive shields.

In the center, where Core drove up to, a large blast-furnace waited, Reploids constantly working away with it.

"Core! What took you so long! Mammoth ordered these materials nearly three hours ago!" a senior Reploid demanded in a harsh whisper as he came up to help unload the ore.

"The mine is almost tapped out, and you know it. I was lucky to get this in so little time," Core muttered back darkly.

"Yeah, well, we all know what happened to Hox with the last late delivery, too."

X watched Core turn rigid with controlled rage.

"Still better than Roda's situation," Core finally said, hefting more ore onto a smaller conveyor toward the furnace.

The senior Reploid paused sadly. "She handles it better than I could, that's for sure."

Core was reaching to the trolley again, and stopped, apparently just going into a haze. In fact, he was staring rigidly down at the puddle of coolant at his foot. He saw the armored Reploid holding to the bottom of his trolley.

His eyes hollowed, but he quickly started working again. Apparently by accident, he grabbed a piece of ore the other Reploid was going for. However, when the other one stared at him to let go, he saw the grim focus in Core's eyes. Then Core slowly tilted his head to the trolley.

His partner slowly looked down as he pulled another couple of pieces of ore to send them along, and saw the reflection for himself.

As if making normal chat, the older Reploid said, "You remember what happened the last time we found someone trying to fight back?"

Core answered, "They killed a team to make sure we never helped."

"…Yeah. They used basin seven, right?"

Core twitched, but slowly bowed his head. "…Yes, I believe they did."

"Let's just keep it all quiet next time, eh? The less everyone knows, the better."

Core nodded.

The trolley was empty. X needed a cleaner moment to break cover and start to find the capsule, so he held on for now. He had to get to the capsule first, then he could stop Mammoth and shut down this operation before more innocent workers were killed the way the two he'd just overhead described.

Core got into the trolley, and brought it about, driving back into the main facility. With a dead look in his eyes, he turned a different way this time, and kept on, parallel to one of the larger conveyers.

Basin 7 flitted past on one sign. X caught it, and then looked at the flooring beneath them. It was going by faster. Now grave, X's eyes looked in the direction of the driver.

_So that was the point of their little chat. They spotted me, and they want to kill me fast so they don't get killed themselves._ X shifted his grip on the trolley, bracing.

Core locked the vehicle into drive, and let the glow of Basin 7 warm his synth-flesh face. "Nothing personal," he said aloud, "but I'm not letting her die because you're an idiot."

He dove off the trolley to the left, rolling rapidly, sparking off the floor with his body.

Core stopped himself at last, and watched, his eyes flaring.

The trolley shot over the edge, diving toward the molten pool, but X was flipping off of the belly in a backwards swirl, his boots igniting with bursts of thrust as his arms spread.

Crashing to his haunches, X cycled his respirator for a moment, and then stood up, turning to look at Core. "I'm here to help you."

X's face fell darkly dismal as Core shoved himself up and charged with a constrained grunt of effort.

He also saw a gripper just hovering down into view off to the far left.

Core grabbed X, trying to tackle him. X focused, and grabbed onto Core around his back and sides. With a sudden pitch of one leg, X wrenched the Reploid off his feet, and boost-skid under the conveyer.

Core started to struggle intensely, but X restrained him, and clamped a hand over the Reploid's mouth as the gripper floated overhead. Core froze at this point, understanding the problem. They'd all be killed if that gripper saw this mess.

X was watching the gripper with his dark-set eyes. Disturbing ideas were brimming through his mind. Killing the Reploid in his hands to stop him ruining everything, then blowing the gripper sky-high with a pulse-blast. Or just forcing the Reploid into stasis-repair mode, and sneaking through after the gripper was gone.

It all stank of death to him. He knew what these Reploids were dealing with. Friends had already been murdered in front of them. Would he do any different in their situation? Persevere, stop anyone from mucking it up even worse?

Even more frustrating, the gripper was hovering around the area. It must have sensed something, possibly the trolley's splash into the molten metal.

X whispered at the Reploid's audio-sensor. "I am here to protect all of you. I saw how important Roda is to you, and that she cares about you, too."

Core's eyes widened, and then focused to the side, toward X. He was listening.

"This is going to get messy, I won't lie. If we have a plan, your people won't suffer for it. I'm here to stop Mammoth, but I have to retrieve something first. Will you help, or is this going to get a lot of innocent Reploids killed?"

Core was rigid. _I want to believe him, and I don't even know why, but this is insane. He'll just get us all killed! He can't take this place alone, and Mammoth is a killing machine! Hell, he could EAT this brat. Roda…_ He could almost hear her voice. How this Reploid holding him could have snapped his neck already, justifiably after an attempted murder, but was giving them a chance. How he wanted to help.

Slowly, Core nodded.

"You'll help?" X confirmed gravely.

Core nodded again.

X released him, and offered his hand properly. "X."

"…Core," he managed, barely shaking the stranger's hand.

"Is Flame Mammoth behind that sealed door in the furnace room?"

"Usually, yes, but he has secret exits of his own. He patrols the place alone most of the time, just to keep everyone panicked."

X glanced out, as if just looking for more patrols. That one gripper was stubbornly circling around. _A real tyrant. Again, totally against his profile. Mammoth was a rigid Reploid, but kind. He took the fore in battles to save his own forces the danger. Now he's literally terrorizing workers and murdering them to keep them in line? This is no programming glitch._ "…Core, for the moment, pretend your plan worked. Pretend I'm dead in the molten metal. Do your people have any plans at all? For escape, I mean."

"Some ideas, but none of them would work. Too many bots patrols the place now, and Mammoth himself could kill us all in one fire-wave."

X glanced at him. "What actually happened to that team?"

"Mammoth caught them helping someone inside. He burned them both so badly they melted into one chunk of debris, and he tossed that in the vats."

X closed his eyes, bowing his head. His fists were clenching. Focusing, he calmed, and lifted his head again, though he noticed Core was appraising him anew for the emotional pause. "…How would you get Roda out with you, if Mammoth and the patrols weren't an issue?"

"We'd have to get her first. If you can figure out _how_ to get those bots out of the administrator chamber, I'll be all about it. You kill any one of them, the full alert goes up. Mammoth doesn't need us all that badly. We're already down to a fraction of the number was started with."

The body parts… X knew what it meant when humans said they were sick to their stomach.

"Is there a safe location? A waiting point you could get everyone else to?"

"We talked about emergency-sealing one of the empty vats as a hold-out, but we'd just be pinned down until Mammoth tore it open and melted us all."

"But the vat is sturdy otherwise?"

"Yeah, the whole place could come down around it, it's Mammoth and the bots that are the real problem."

X let his buster form. "I'll get Roda for you. You get everyone into the vat, and seal it when the alarm goes off. Can you make that happen?"

Core looked down. "…I don't know. Some might come, but the others…"

X nodded. "Then I'll see if I can disable the alarm system before I raise any concerns. Do what you can, just in case. Whatever happens, I'll get Roda to you guys, and all of us out of here."

"But how?" Core demanded in a sharp whisper.

"Flame Mammoth has the control-codes for the bots. I neutralize him, shut off the bots, and we evacuate."

Core blinked. "…Do you know who he is? What he can do?"

X tapped his temple ad his optics shimmered with data transmission preparation. "Intimately."

"And you seriously think a tiny Reploid like you can take him out?"

"Yes."

Core didn't know why he believed this oddly armored Reploid. There was something his voice and eyes. It wasn't bravado. It was just complete certainty and grim focus. At last, Core said, "Alright, I'll do what I can to convince everyone to run for the vat if the alarm sounds. You _swear_ you'll get Roda?"

X nodded firmly.

Core clenched his fists. The idea of leaving her fate in this stranger's hands… He couldn't risk it all to this newcomer. He'd get everyone he could into the vats, but he had to make sure he could get to Roda.

"Then let's go."

Core led X along the conveyer, under it, to a junction. There they silently separated, and Core realized he completely lost track of the other Reploid almost immediately. Now he just had to convince everyone that a suicide plan wasn't suicidal.

[At the Furnace]

"How'd it go?" the older Reploid asked quietly as he and Core started working at a console near the blast furnace.

Core adjusted some temperature settings, and answered, "Smoothly enough. Still, I'm worried. Even a trolley going missing might stir him up, Jadis."

Jadis groaned quietly. "We just have to hope for the best."

"The vat might be necessary. At least to buy us some time if things go South."

Jadis rubbed his neck, his eyes closing for a moment. His dark gray and black frame was etched and dented from years of labor. "You may be right. Let's just hope it doesn't. I'll help spread the word."

Core nodded, and smiled at his comrade. They split apart, and shared quiet comments with others. Surprise and concern was instantly clear, but they quickly adapted, and started to spread the word.

[In the Ducts]

X realized he was starting to understand how stress could kill a human. His emotional capacity was starting to drive him mad with anxiety. It felt like his power-core might go critical or his coolant system would fail at any minute just because of how tense he was.

It was taking too long. The capsule was embedded in the structure of the factory, not just hidden away. He had finally eliminated the last possible, normal entrance. He was going to have to burrow through the walls at this point.

"I wonder if Sigma ordered this part of the factory modified? Or did Dr. Light do this? The factory is technically old enough, but it's been so heavily modified since it's founding," X muttered quietly to himself as he pressed his hands to a wall in a ventilation duct.

Idly, he noticed his sensors were picking up hard-wire comms in that surface. He shrugged, and did a precise stabbing gesture with his hand, punching a small hole in the metal wall. He touched the wires there, and his systems patched in.

Signals began to flow. It took a few cycles for him to decode it.

…up to something\\

/Work continues as normal. Orders?\\

/If they're up to something, they're not working as normal,\\ a powerful signal suddenly cut across it all. Flame Mammoth himself. /The fools are probably going to try making a stand in that abandoned vat they think I don't know about. If they try something, kill the administrator girl, and use her body-parts in the first volley at the vat. Until then, just watch the fools.\\

X's helmet overshadowed his face. His hand, however, was grinding into a viciously tight fist. _So I absolutely can't trip the alarm now. I couldn't possibly get to her before those bots cut her down. Sorry, Dr. Light. I'm out of time._

And X suddenly lurched back, then rammed his head into the wall. With the crunching rush of the compactors throughout the facility, all he had to do was time it right. He wasn't even the loudest bang in the ventilation shaft.

So he dug, one vicious head-bash at a time.

[In the Chamber]

As it seemed to be the way of things, the capsule chamber was lit only by the capsule itself. X clambered his way through the hole he finally tore through the last layer of metal wall, and dropped down to a crouch facing the capsule. He couldn't help a little smile. In some way, it was like being able to talk to his father. He knew they weren't really Dr. Light, but it gave a little glow to his core.

Standing, he moved closer, and touched it. The internal codes written into his very mind transmitted instinctively, and the capsule faded open. In a soft flash, Dr. Light's holographic form appeared once more.

"X, enter this capsule. This one comes with great power and duty. It is an upgrade to your buster."

X warily gripped his left forearm. He shared his father's concern.

"Not only will this allow you to charge and dispatch even greater levels of energy at a time, but it can super-charge any weapon system you can adapt with your buster."

_So even Storm's turbine-buster…_

"Remember, X," Dr. Light added with a grave tone, "that this is a weapon. It is a tool for destruction. Remember. Only use it at the utmost need. Sadly, if these capsule have been activated, then there is a great deal of need for it…"

And the image faded.

X bowed his head, a tear dripping down his cheek. How many more would die for this insanity? He gripped his buster-arm again, and then hardened himself. Turning around, he backed into the capsule, and closed his eyes.

The rush began, energy building over him in overlapping waves. With a pulsing flash, only mist remained, pouring gently over the base of the capsule.

X stepped out, and clenched his hands. White, blue, and gold wreathed his arms now, and he could activate his buster fully in either arm. Each hand became a cannon in turn, and returned to normal.

"First, Roda," he muttered, looking up past the brow of his helmet from his bowed head. "Then we put a stop to Flame's madness."

[The Administration Facility]

Roda's hands stopped over the keyboard as she read the data for the next shipment. _Reploid parts… if those are fresh,_ her eyes squeezed shut, tears dripping down her face.

The officer door opened, and she jumped, startled, then paled as a mining-bot glared at her from its hard-hat shadowed optics. "No dawdling," the monotone voice commanded.

Roda cringed down at the screen. "I-I… This shipment isn't… I can't send this to the furnace," she finally let it roll out of her, her frame sinking.

The mining-bot leapt over the console, and slammed down behind her. Roda gasped, trying to dive forward over the console, away from it, but the mining-bot yanked her back with a pick-axe hooked around her throat, slamming her against its rotund metal frame, and glaring down into her widened eyes as she gripped the pick at her neck. "If you fail to comply, termination is required."

"I c-can't… my friends bodies aren't coal!" she shouted back through her fearful tears.

The room trembled, and Roda froze. The doorway swung open, but no one entered. Instead, something massive crouched down outside, the optics flashing ominously over a long, slowly articulating metal limb. "Roda, Roda, Roda," Flame Mammoth thundered in his quiet voice. Sulfur and gasoline wafted into the office, almost making her choke. "We've discussed this. Your service for your life. Master Sigma has no time for the weak-minded who wish to serve the arrogant humans. Embrace the strength of Sigma, and you'll understand. Bodies are just material, Roda. You know that."

Roda grimaced against the pick still pressing hard into her neck. "No… I'm not like that. You're a monster!"

Flame raised an optic ridge, crouched as he was just to get his eyes under the doorframe. His trunk flicked up, long enough to almost hit her in the face across the room from the door, and the air writhed from the heat burning out of the nozzle. Roda couldn't help a horrified whine, but she was bracing for the end, not giving in. "I… used to think you were heroes. Sigma and his whole squad of hunters. You wretches are worse than anything you ever destroyed!" she found the strength shout right into the trunk.

Flame smirked, and burning light flashed deep in the base of the trunk. Roda saw it, and her face hardened, looking at his optics over the top ridge of the trunk-nozzle.

And that was when the most deafening, air-shocking roar Roda had ever heard filled the entire administrator facility. Some horrendous force not only rammed Flame Mammoth clear down the hallway, but also tore the front of the office apart, blasting it open like a papier-mâché house.

Roda stared off to the right, down where the trolleys parked, only to see a strange Reploid hand-flipping over the banister there, his body writhing in purple-blue light as one of his arms aimed through the surviving window. He was aiming far behind her, but Roda was too stunned to care about the odd direction.

He fired. A shock-wave of power burst back behind him, and a torrent of volatile plasma ripped forward like a sideways geyser of scorching light. Most of the room just behind Roda was reduced to a charred, smoking cave.

X landed sharply, and ran to her, his hand extended. "Roda! We have to run!"

"W-where?" she asked, still dazed.

The alarms started to blare.

"To Core and your friends," X answered with a warm smile.

That smile. It immediately relaxed her. She knew she could trust this weird and clearly powerful Reploid.

Their hands gripped, and X pulled her into following him, soon both of them dashing down the steps, and out past the parked trolleys.

"You knew the trolleys were rigged to the mainframe?" Roda managed as they ran out onto the first catwalks beyond the administrator area.

X chuckled. "I just assumed with how heavily centralized this facility is. Run, run, run!" he emphasized as his buster fired off across the facility, blowing grippers out of the sky all around them.

[In the Debris]

Back in the torn and shattered remains of the administrator area, a massive silver, red, and black fist punched up through some shorn metal, and Flame Mammoth launched himself out of the debris, landing with an earth-shaking crash.

Raising both arms and flaring his trunk, a digitized elephant cry roared through the entire facility. The conveyers and compactors paused, then reversed suddenly everywhere.

[Fleeing…]

Roda ducked to let X shoot past her to take out another gripper, and shouted, "He just manually overrode the controls! He has direct control over the entire facility!"

X charged energy over himself, and fired down a crossing pathway, blowing several mining bots to liquefied metal chunks. "That's my problem, not yours. RUN!"

[In the Furnace]

Down in the heart of the facility, Core and the others reacted the moment the first alarm went off. Before the bots around them could strike inward, dozens of the workers pulled out make-shift weapons, and opened fire. Most of the bots in the room were destroyed in a minute, and the two mace-lashing guardians were easily outrun. One poor Reploid took a mace to the arm, but he let the limb fly off without hesitation, and just ran.

Core and Jadis led the pack, charging down an older, dusty hallway of the factory. Jadis kick-rammed a large set of doors open, and Core waved the large group into the empty base of a metal vat.

"When we seal this from the inside, it should buy us some time, then we can do what we can as they funnel in. It'll be a hell of a fight," Jadis declared with grim satisfaction.

Core glanced down the hall as the last stragglers ran past him. _But a suicidal one. …Roda…_ He waved Jadis in, and made to follow.

Jadis gawked when the doors slammed shut behind him, and he whipped around. "Core?"

"I have to get to Roda. Seal it! We'll take care of ourselves!"

"Core, no!" Jadis' voice roared through the massive metal doors.

"I have to!"

And Core ran.

[Fleeing…]

Roda and X dropped down off a catwalk onto solid metal flooring at last. Compactors were slamming down onto the conveyers all around them, and large vats of motel metal surrounded them otherwise.

A mining-bot threw his pick-axe with such force it resembled a disc ripping for X's head. X ducked and caught the pick, then twisted around and snapped it back toward the charging bot. It blew a clean line through the bot's torso, and it just fell over.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Roda had to ask, still pulsing her respirator to stay cool internally in such a heated environment.

X shrugged, looking around rapidly. "Not to sound like a jerk, but 'born with it' is about all I can say."

Roda stared at him for a moment, and then looked out as well. "There," she pointed along one of the conveyers. "That path leads toward the exit."

"And is full of compactors. Are you sure?" X challenged.

"Do we have another option?" she retorted firmly.

"Point, run!" X conceded with a quick nod, and shoved her along with him as they broke into fresh sprints.

"X!"

Roda shuddered at Flame Mammoth's voice echoing through the entire facility.

"The Master told me to expect you! Even so, you've done an amazing job infiltrating my little make-shift fortress!" Flame bellowed a laugh. "You really should join us! Your power is quite impressive. And don't think I don't recognize my own comrade's weapon, X! If you bested Storm Eagle, you're worth the attention!"

Roda looked at her companion as they ran. "He knows you?"

X 's face was grim. "Apparently."

"Roda!" Core shouted, just dashing out of a side hall at the end of the conveyer they were running down.

"Core!" she called out, both relieved and freshly panicked.

And then Flame Mammoth crashed straight down behind Core. The entire facility trembled with the weight of the impact, and Core pitched forward, tumbling into the edge of the conveyer with a grunt.

Roda gasped with empathy and fear even as both she and X stumbled to regain their footing.

"Oh look at this!" Flame called out with a malicious glint in his optics.

X's eyes sharpened. _That haze is there alright._

"We have toys! X, you shouldn't have!"

And then Flame lifted one leg, and slammed it down toward Core, who was just picking himself up.

The flooring exploded from the force of the crash, ripping up toward Core.

It pitched the Reploid up into the air, flipping wildly.

"Core!" Roda cried out.

X started to dash forward, his buster aiming high to the ceiling near Core.

Core slammed flat onto the conveyer with a pained groan as buster-bolts exploded high above. His optics managed to flicker open, and he saw a compactor bearing down on him. He couldn't possibly move in time. He would be flat and fractured in a blink. _Roda… forgive me…_

His eyes shut, and he cried out as his world crashed and shook. He heard Roda's voice cry out again, but it wasn't horrified. If anything, it was just completely shocked. Flame Mammoth had even gone silent for a moment.

Core realized he was still fine, and opened his eyes. They flared wide when he saw X standing over him, legs braced, half embedded in the conveyer, hands, shoulders, and back pressing up into the compactor.

X's body was the only thing keeping Core from being crushed.

His body shivering with effort, X looked down at Core, his expression frightful for it intensity. "RUN!"

Core scrambled toward Roda, finally escaping the edge of the compactor, and Roda grabbed onto him as he reached her. Looking back to X, he saw that the top of the compactor was half destroyed. The buster-bolts had blown most of the mechanism apart. Now X was dealing with the several-ton structure of the compactor rather than it's crushing might. It still should have crushed them both flat…

"W-what is he made of?"

Roda shook her head, and then yanked him back with her. "We're just in the way. Hurry!"

They started to dash back down the conveyer, but froze, skidding to a halt as mining-bots and grippers appeared en masse, just waiting for them. They had nowhere to go.

Flame Mammoth started to chuckle. "Very brave, X. Foolhardy, I'd say. Literally putting your neck out for these fools?" The trunk gestured loosely toward Roda and Core.

X's body began to shimmer as he gritted his teeth. With a violent groan and quivering frame, he started to tilt the compactor away to his right. It finally reached a tipping point, and crashed down like a great tree, splashing molten metal and shattering conveyers for over a dozen meters out in that direction.

Then X turned to face Flame Mammoth, stoic. "Stand down. This doesn't need to end with any more death, Flame Mammoth."

Mammoth chuckled. Mace-bots crashed down around him, four of them. "Kill this idiot."

The mace-bots charged, frightfully fast and nimble as they pounced forward, maces already starting to swing.

X started to build energy over his body, and dashed to meet them. The first two swings he twisted under and flipped over. The third mace he palm-rammed down into the ruined conveyer, and kicked the fourth as he flipped over the third.

The closest mace-bot swung its shield at him next, just as X landed. X folded backward to dodge the swipe, and then snapped his buster forward, firing.

It was a fully charged blast again. A shock wave ripped behind him, and a torrent of blue-purple energy tore the air.

Flame Mammoth's optics flared, and he leapt up, watching the mace-bots simply evaporate in the torrent of power.

Mammoth crashed back down angrily, shaking the ground again. X's dash was disrupted, and he tumbled into a forward roll.

"You're in my hell, brat. Time to burn!" Mammoth roared, and lashed around with his trunk.

A gushing ocean of fire swept out around Mammoth, slow and heavy, somehow like water. It was a wall crashing down toward X even as he skidded along on his back.

Firming, X aimed down at the flames, and his buster shifted, X's coloration flickering purple.

The air-sheering roar returned. A tornado spawned off of X's arm, and blew a hole in the conflagration.

Flame Mammoth's optics widened just before he took the blast to the gut, and was thrown back into the far wall nearly thirty meters away. He crashed back down along with chunks of the metal surface. With a strange chuckle, he replied, "Trying to blow me off, kid?"

X picked himself up, and looked across at his adversary with a dark temper to his eyes this time. "You're cracking jokes? You used to protect and serve your friends, Flame Mammoth!" he roared, snapping his arm out. "Now you're a mass-murdering psychopath! WHY!"

Flame braced. "What can I say? I got tired of playing NICE!" he roared as he suddenly leapt forward. He had terrible strength in his massive body, and was all but flying toward X.

X, however, was building energy over his purple-hued body. He just stood there, glowing, looking up at the falling giant with a cold hardness to the resolve in his eyes.

"It'll take more than wind, boy!" Flame shouted as he came crashing down.

Suddenly, X wrenched his left arm up, roaring with furious power. His buster fired, but it didn't just unleash a tornado. The air all around X shore apart, and writhed into a mad vortex.

Flame hit the side of it as he fell, only to be wrenched to the side as part of his arm and leg were simply obliterated from the force of the wind. His body crunched the wall, and he slammed down heavily, gawking.

The tornado still engulfing him, X looked down at Flame, and then aimed his blaster straight at the large Maverick. "This is your last warning. Stand down!"

Flame sneered, and blared his elephant roar once again, fire erupting toward the small hunter.

The flames burst apart against the wall of wind, and X opened fire. A fresh tornado burst out, twisting the flames upon themselves, and rushing to Mammoth in a backlash inferno.

Flame roared as he stumbled away in the fire, crashing back several steps as he spun around, trying to put himself out.

Still smoldering, he roared, and sprayed thick, dark fluid out of his trunk at X.

Knowing full well what it was, X dashed to his right. Flame followed him, spraying the floor in a thick mess. X skid up the wall, and burst-dashed over to Flame himself.

X landed on the large Maverick, and Flame wrenched his arms back to try and grab the small Reploid to throw him off. X growled, clamped onto the piping around Flame's face, and reached down, wrenching the trunk up. It sprayed more sludge vertically just before X kicked himself off the giant Maverick, and hit the wall, digging his toes and fingers into it.

The flames still smoldering on Mammoth's body ignited the moment the sludge was even close to his body. In a moment, Mammoth was a writhing inferno, screaming as he crashed through his own sludge, igniting all of it, super-heating the air all around him.

X leapt off the wall with a little jet of air from his buster, and spin-kicked Mammoth in the face right as the Maverick came around to him. It cracked the weakened armor, and the heat got inside.

Mammoth screamed in pain as X landed, the small Reploid looking at the scorched ground sadly.

Mammoth's body started to explode in pieces. Parts of his limbs, his trunk. His body fell over and continued to burn and burst.

Roda and Core watched in a mixture of satisfaction and horror as Mammoth's body tore itself apart.

At last, it was just a mass of smoldering wreckage. X dashed over to it, and started to pry into the armored body despite the heat scorching his own armor.

Core and Roda ran over. "What are you doing?" Core asked, horrified.

X yanked out a few small pieces of charred debris, and stood up as his head-gem flickered. "Access codes. The facility is back under our control." He put the charred bits in his back storage unit.

Roda looked back, and saw the mining-bots very calmly marching away, returning to the mines. The grippers just hovered down, and went limp on the ground.

X turned away from Roda and Core, and aimed his buster out as his body switched to an orange tint. His buster changed, the barrel expanding with a little plasma light near the edge. As a test shot, X unleashed a torrent of fire as a focused beam out of his buster. He aimed it down, and it melted through the flooring with ease. "Nothing to it."

He turned, reverting to his normal blue-base colors. "Let's get your friends out of that vat, hm?"

Core nodded, a bit numb. "…You did it."

X dusted his hands off, then parts of his legs. "I did my job, nothing more, nothing less. Come on, the important part is getting you guys out of here safely." He turned more somber, and bowed. "For what it's worth, I'm deeply sorry for your friends. I should have been here sooner. Their deaths are my responsibility."

Roda and Core blinked at him.

At last, Roda eased over, and touched X's shoulder. The hunter looked up at her, and she was almost struck by the sorrow in his eyes. "…My friends' deaths weren't your fault… X, if I heard that right?"

X nodded. "You did." Then he stood up fully. "I can't blame you if you end up blaming me for it. For now, thank you."

Core shook his head free of the odd situation, and said, "It'll be hard to get them out. With the door sealed, it'll take a while to cut through."

X smiled. "I just happen to have a new cutting tool."

Roda and Core eased back from his somewhat disturbing manner.

"The fire-blast?"

"Properly focused, it'll cut that vat open in less than a minute."

Roda added, "And you're sure you know the precision so soon?"

X tapped his head with a fainter smile. "Born with it, if you follow?"

Roda raised her eyebrows, and then nodded. "Let's go."

[The Vat]

X had been right. He cut through the doorway easily. So easily, in fact, the rescued workers were all a bit alarmed. It meant their plan would have failed completely if he hadn't come to their rescue, as Core and Roda explained.

Jadis recognized X from the trolley. He stared at Core, who looked away awkwardly, and then came forward, offering his hand. "I'm very sorry."

X smiled. "I probably would've done the same, Jadis. I can't blame you. You've all been through hell. Now come, let's get you out of it finally." He gestured back for the entire crowd.

Another Reploid finally said, "We owe you our lives. What was your name again?"

"…X, if you wish to know, but you don't owe me anything. Just live. Live freely, and live well. That's the whole point."

Roda and Core shared a look. There was a unique power to this young-looking Reploid that had saved them all. At last, Roda stepped forward with a smile. "We will. Just promise to do the same, hm?"

X smiled happily. "You bet!"

And, at last, they set out to leave the factory in silence. For the moment, it was a mausoleum. None of them wished to linger.

[Author's Note]

Once again, thank you for the reviews everyone. I really appreciate them, and they help keep me going!

In this chapter, I was greatly satisfied by X's characterization and the display of Flame Mammoth's madness.

I also like to offer a show of strength in the 'every person' characters, which is why Roda has her stand-off with Mammoth. Just another worker, like you, me, anybody, but she's got grit, and has been through enough. I can see why Core likes her!

I wanted to take great care to show X's dichotomy of powerful violence and sorrow at the same violence. His battles are not aggrandizement of brutality, but showing it for what it really is, and why it's still necessary. I believe that's why X fights, only because he must, and I believe he does it to protect life.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please let me know your thoughts, good/bad/neutral!


	5. Chapter 4: Completion

Chapter 4: "Completion"

X returned to Maverick Hunter Headquarters to hand-shakes and a growing bit of awe in the other Hunters. He was blushing, and quick to dismiss the level of his own skill. His private reasoning was absolutely sacrosanct, and, in his own heart, he didn't think he was any better than any of them. He just had to do these things.

He noticed, however, that Zero was oddly grim. He shook his hand, congratulated him, but said almost nothing before inviting X to a briefing that would refresh everyone of all the recent updates to Sigma's forces and their holdings.

What bothered X further, even as he accepted the invitation, was that the signal he could pick up had grown fainter. He could still follow it, locate it, but it wasn't niggling at him this time.

The briefing turned out to be embarrassing. Most of the 'updates' were losses by Sigma due almost entirely to X himself. The skirmishes between other Hunter squads and Sigma's mass forces were holding, but very little ground had been lost or gained. At least it wasn't lost…

Zero dismissed the gathered Hunter, but gave X a look, and gestured subtly for him to approach.

X stood up, serious and curious. He joined Zero near the central console of the command center, his eyebrows up, waiting.

"That was quite an operation, X."

The tone wasn't happy. X's eyes tightened. "…It was very hard on those workers."

Zero leaned against the table, arms crossed across his armored chest, and he looked straight at his comrade. "Dr. Cain is worried about you."

"He still doesn't believe I should fight, Zero. I must."

"Must you?"

X frowned a bit. "What's the real point you're getting at?"

"You disappeared again. After helping the workers. And don't think I somehow blindly missed your arms," Zero finished with a dry wave of his hand at the recently upgraded limbs.

X self-consciously rubbed one forearm, but remained serious. "I was doing some research. Studying Dr. Cain's materials. I want to understand the Mavericks, Zero. I told you that already."

"It's poorly timed research. You single-handedly dealt one of the biggest blows to Sigma's forces with that factory, X. Even I was anxious about that place. Something is going on, and you're not sharing. That's looking weirder and weirder, X."

X's face turned grim this time, and Zero had to admit it was a strangely frightening change in the innocent Reploid's demeanor. "You mean to say: looking more and more Maverick."

Zero's jaw clenched, but his silence was heavy.

X crossed his arms. "Then lock me up. You either believe I'm turning or you don't, Zero. No one listens to a Maverick if they say 'oh, I'm innocent'. We much prefer to blast first, and ask questions later, right?"

Zero growled down to the side. "Dammit, X, you're not getting the message. _I_ know you're fine! It's everyone else! You took out an army alone, X, and you didn't even come back to celebrate. That looks weird to everyone!"

"There wasn't anything to celebrate!" X roared back, and Zero eased back on his feet from the surprise of the ferocity in the blue-white Reploid. X's arm was out to the side for emphasis as he went on, "Dozens of innocent Reploids were slaughtered in that hell-furnace! Dozens! I barely got those few survivors out, and I had to blow Flame Mammoth to pieces to do it! I had to pull his body apart with my _bare hands_, Zero! He wanted to kill them just to make a point! Just to control their thoughts! Don't you get that those Reploids will NEVER fully recover from that atrocity? And that was a tiny fraction of what Sigma has done!"

"WE ALL KNOW THAT, X!" Zero roared right back, startling X enough to calm him down and ease away. "Everyone of us knows that! That's WHY we have to come together, remind each other how much we've done that's good. The bad is always too heavy, too big! If you let yourself keep thinking like that, you're already dead, X!"

X rubbed the back of his head. He regretted snapping the way he had. It was a waste of emotion, and misdirected. The only reason he didn't come back to celebrate was, of course, to route Flame Mammoth into the same isolate interface as Storm Eagle. He knew how important it was to see the good despite all the bad.

The factory itself, however, had left a mark on him. Just like that woman. X cringed as the image of her bleeding and dying in his arms flashed so clearly in his thoughts.

Zero eased. "…Sorry, X. I was just trying to get your attention."

X shook his head. "You were right. I'm agitated after what I saw in there, nothing more. I'm sorry for snapping. I'll make sure to show up sooner next time. If there's nothing else, though, I need to go check on some data."

Zero shook his head, and waved his friend off. When X was gone, Zero sighed heavily, rubbing the side of his head with two of his fingers. "I can't read him. I never knew he was so capable. That fight with Vile… how could he learn so fast?"

[Elsewhere…]

X sat in a small office-space in Maverick Hunter Headquarters. A single holoscreen was lit up in front of him, and he was leaning on the desk with one elbow, his eyes tightened at the view. It was a map of a good chunk of the planet, with red-lit dots in several locations.

X reached out with his other arm, and touched one dot near the top. Chill Penguin's profile came up, as did a display of images and data about the ice-fortress. "I'm best equipped for Chill now. Mammoth's weapon will wreak plenty of havoc there."

Then he reached over, to a Southern dot. A display came up showing a forested area with plenty of data, and a strange Reploid's face and profile. Green armored skin, protruding, side-mounted, red optics, and a frilled head.

"Sting Chameleon's forest territory, however, has that signal."

X faintly cringed. Something about it was wrong. He emphasized Sting's profile, and that data took over the display.

_Sting Chameleon has always been a mystery, even before he went Maverick. So little data on him. All we have is his combat record, which is rather intimidating on its own. He's also done the least direct damage during the revolt. I should want to talk to him, maybe he can be reasoned with, but… something feels… dangerous. I'm not ready for him. The signal though…_ X rubbed his chin, thinking.

"If I could avoid triggering any alerts, I could possibly retrieve the capsule, and get back out, and not let anyone know. Not even Zero…" X slowly nodded. "I think I have to. But why is the signal weaker? What does that mean, Dr. Light?"

After no change in the signal intensity, not that he really expected it, X sighed, and stood up. "No time like the present. If I can knock this out tonight, it'll be all the better."

[The Forest…]

The botanical forest was a strange place. Cultivated for the last fifty years with some of the greatest advances in biotechnology and agricultural studies, it was large, vibrant, and had the benefit of cybernetic flora. It also had a built in defense system. None of the wildlife was normal. Robotic wood-peckers, weaponized water-skimmers, and even lumberjack-bots mounted near modified pedestals with spiked-discs ready for launch.

Originally, this defense was in place simply to make sure the forest wouldn't be vandalized. Obviously, under Sting Chameleon's control, it was now an open-air fortress and death-trap. And that was just the system already in place.

X had his back to a tree near the edge of the forest, and carefully eased around to look past the edge of the trunk. _And the forces I can see can't be all that's there. Sting is a master of stealth ambush, I'm going to assume he's pretty solid at trap-setting. Time to get serious, X. No mistakes. Silent, quick, and get out._

He eased away from the tree, and shifted into the brush.

It was slow and painstaking, but he was making it. At one point, he froze when a bird-bot leaned out from its mechanical hollow, and narrowed it's targeting optics down at the bush he was in. It took forever for the bird to focus elsewhere, and X was quick to slink away.

The most awkward part of his infiltration came when he reached a sunken, cave-like pool at a narrowed part of the forest floor, wedged between jagged ridges. A lumberjack waited at the top, and skimmers filled the pond. Obviously, he had to climb, but doing so without being seen was going to be the worst part.

Limited to using the outside of the ridge on the right to avoid being seen, X was forced to climb across a nearly shear rock surface, and do so silently.

He felt the pitch of losing his foothold. His shift to his right foot had failed near the center of the ridge. Making no sound beyond an anxious twitch in his eyes, he clenched with his hands and left leg, just halting himself from falling with a resounding crash.

Finding his footing again, the painstaking process took far longer than he felt it should have, but it worked. At last, he was on the far side, and he knew he was close to the signal.

Taking a moment to let his respirator cycle, he looked up, and realized the large rock cave in the hill beyond was where the signal was coming from. More precisely, just above the cave itself, on the hill. From plain view, he couldn't see where it would be hidden, however.

Stretching his servos quietly, he made his way to the hill, and started to climb, taking care in each shift of grip.

After climbing to what he thought was near the top, X paused, blinking. There was a ridge-line, and then a recession into the hill, which was actually much taller than he thought at first. He hadn't thought to actually analyze the topographical data for his map, which was foolish in hindsight.

And there was a hole. A new hole, clearly just torn open in the rock and dirt of the hill-side. Mechanically torn open.

X firmed, and leapt over the edge of the landing. Still silent, he hurried to the hole, hugged the edge, and started to slink inside.

What he found shocked him further. The hole only lasted a short distance before opening up into a large, open-air chamber. _But that's impossible. I'm using the correct maps now. There is no such hole in the mountain at this location. That sky-view must be…_

X's mental process halted as his eyes caught the recently disturbed rock and dirt at the far side of the room. Whatever had dug there had to still be in the area. Small particles were still pouring down into place. Oddly, it looked like whatever it was focused on a single point at the far side, digging a smaller hole straight down.

_And the signal's coming from right there. Okay, so something is still in this room, and the ceiling is somehow holographically transposing the sky above._ X formed his buster with a grim frown.

Air rushed above him. X dove into a dash to the far side of the room as something crashed down heavily in his wake. Twisting as he aimed back, X fired three pulse-blasts.

A heavily armored bot stood there, and the pulse-blasts burst over the massive gripping claws it lifted in defense. It was vaguely humanoid, the head little more than a mono-optic bump at the top of the bulbous torso. Short, wide legs hefted the formidable frame off the ground, and the arms were massive, oversized limbs to wield the massive pinchers.

X started to build energy over his frame and buster. _A hard-rock digging bot, and obviously programmed to protect its job._

The bot swirled its claws, and rammed one forward. The massive claw rocketed out on a thick chain rattling free of the forearm, aiming to crush X in half.

X ducked, and jumped high over the claw. As it came rushing back to the bot, he landed, and fired precisely at the head with a full charge. A roaring rush of purple-blue energy surged out, scorching the wall behind him from the backlash.

The bot was rammed backward, it's upper-body engulfed in the blast, but it didn't fall. X widened his eyes, and then saw the scorched bot leap mightily, aiming to crash onto him again.

X dashed through, beneath the bot, and twisted around as he charged, firing between the claws again. The bot was blasted against the wall, but crashed down as normal afterward, twisting around as its claws spun.

_I'm doing damage, but what the heck is this guy made of!_ X gaped, and side-dashed to avoid the next claw, building energy. He had to get out of two more attacks before he fired a second full-blast.

This one carried the bot bodily into the wall behind him, and it was starting to smoke out of the gaps in its armor on its back.

_Just have to keep this up then,_ X affirmed, and dashed as needed.

Soon the bot was ramming long-reach attacks out in rapid succession, but X was nimble. One claw-rush nearly clipped his side, but X twisted just under it, and fired again.

Blast after blast, the bot was getting more volatile, but clearly hurting.

Finally, X dashed straight for the bot, charging a full shot. The bot swung around, and fired both claws, but X wove between them, and leapt up. Ramming his legs to either side, he forced the bot's arms out, and planted his buster-barrel right on the large red optic.

He fired at point-blank range, the vents opening off the back of his buster.

It was finally enough. The bot's body simply collapsed down into itself under X's blast, and X landed between the twitching remains of the arms. He stood up, aiming at the cave hole where he'd entered.

It had been a long and loud fight, not to mention whoever sent the bot probably having a direct feed from it's optical view. X waited that way for several long minutes, unmoving, completely focused.

At last, it seemed no one was coming for the moment. He eased, and walked over to the disturbed dirt the digger had been working on before he arrived. X knelt down, and touched the softer soil. His signal pinged, and X leapt back.

The dirt erupted as the Capsule lifted into view. X smiled at himself, and then walked up, touching the capsule.

The shell faded, and Dr. Light's hologram appeared once more. "X, enter this capsule. It will upgrade your body armor significantly, and make you much tougher in a fight. It won't make you invincible, however, so you must still exercise caution."

"Dr. light, this signal was weaker than the others," X tried to talk to the hologram, troubled and still unsure of his own plan.

The hologram didn't vanish this time. It waited, and then finally Light spoke again, "My ability to guide you is over, X. Now the choices are yours. I will give you all that I can, but there was only so much I could plan for. The capsule's sensors indicate it was nearly disturbed before you arrived. I scrambled the communications in the area to make sure this capsule would remain as secure as it could. You likely don't have much time left now. You must trust yourself, X. Know that I'm proud of you."

And then the hologram winked off.

X bowed his head, two quiet tears dripping down his cheeks. "…Thank you."

He turned around, and backed into the capsule, waiting.

The lights began to rush over him, and then the blinding flash.

X stepped out of the mist transformed completely. Clean white, golden trimmed armor with blue hints now covered his entire frame. His upgrades were—for the moment—complete.

He quietly looked up at the transparent ceiling. "I wonder if I can teleport through that?"

He focused his targeting systems, and gripped the capsule.

With a shimmering mass of blue light, he and the capsule vanished into a streak upward.

[A short time later…]

Thick, brown-armored, spiked boots compressed the dirt near the wreckage of the digging bot.

Overshadowed by the light above, twin optics and a forehead gem glistened ominously. "For him to slip away even here," Sigma muttered.

The air shimmered near the hole leading into the cavern. First a body appeared in the distortion, and then it peeled away off of a hunched, spindly Reploid. Sting Chameleon himself.

"Perhaps if you'd include me in your plans in my territory, I could offer greater success than a random digging bot," Sting muttered dryly.

Sigma turned, his cape rippling. "I'm playing this one close to the chest, Sting Chameleon. He's managed to reach each Capsule in the order I was targeting them. This was the last. The nature of the signal scramble was ingenious. It automatically looped harmless digging footage until the bot was long dead."

"Dr. Light's legacy is not so easily pillaged. You, of all of us, should know that," Sting continued, one optics rotating backward, the other sliding along Sigma's form with an analyzing manner.

Sigma smirked. "So it would seem. No matter. He's another Hunter now. We'll deal with them all shortly."

The two left the chamber in silence.

[The Hideout…]

X helped situate the Capsule against the wall, and it receded into a safety sealed vault. His workspace where he spoke to Storm Eagle lingered some meters behind him. Needlessly wiping his brow as an odd habit from working with humans, he walked over to his consoles.

"Storm, has Flame spoken yet?"

"No, X."

X sighed, and adjusted some controls, specifically loading another feed similar to Storm's. "Flame, I know the pain you're in. I know how insane all of this must be for you. If you don't talk to me, we may not ever figure out the true nature of the maverick problem. Your personality changed far too much, Flame. Help us understand."

At last, the signal pitched, and an image of Flame Mammoth's face appeared. "Understand, do you? No, X, I don't think you do. Storm Eagle led a military strike. I held those people captive. I tortured and murdered them _for fun_!" his voice broke from the intensity of his emotions. "I would kill me a thousand times over for what I've done! Just finish it, X! I can never fix what I did."

X's expression remained grave and sorrowful. "And all of this is on my shoulders, Flame. You were all built off my template. The maverick problem, and all the evil that comes from it, are mine. We must understand it, so we can actually fix it."

Flame looked down for a moment, and then spoke more quietly. Storm seemed content to listen. "…The rage and madness left me once you pulled my circuits out. If it's something measurable, not just… my insanity, then it has to be in the system buffer."

X rubbed his chin. "Storm, what do you think?"

"It sounds right to me. I can't be personally sure, just like Flame, but I know that… that I would never do what I did. That all stopped when my core systems were pulled out by you. He does make a very important point, though, X. We can't fix what we've done. Even if you do fix the maverick issue, we'd be dismantled. We're too much of a risk."

X rubbed the back of his helmet. "I know. I have some ideas about that, too. However, for now, a system buffer from an active Maverick is what we need next. I'm going after Chill Penguin finally. I intend to save his core, too, but this time I'll bring the buffer."

Flame suddenly exclaimed, "Don't interface with it yourself! At any cost."

X nodded. "I won't, Flame, don't worry. It'll be routing to a completely isolated system here in the hideout. There will be no soft-connections of any kind to that until we are totally sure of what the results would be."

"We are totally sure, X," Flame added ominously. "Death."

"…True enough. I'll head out for now. You two hang in there. Are there any simulations I could upload for either of you. I'm sorry, I have to do it manually until we know more about what's going on."

"…Something to take my mind off things. A video drama… something," Flame muttered, sounding almost shy about it.

X chuckled, and loaded a small video library into each console. "Take your pick, you two. Once I have the proof I need… I look forward to not keeping you guys prisoners."

Storm chuckled. "We deserve it, X. Go… And thanks."

X smiled, waved, and walked out.

[Maverick Hunter HQ]

X opened his chamber door at headquarters, stretching his neck a bit as he sealed it behind him.

Dr. Cain clearing his throat made X freeze and stare, his optics shifting for the dim light. "…Dr. Cain?"

The doctor was sitting on a foot-stool at the far end of the room, his hands resting on his cane-top in front of his face. The mostly bald, aged man looked serious. "I wanted to speak with you after you returned from the factory, but didn't want to hound you. I waited until I knew you'd be heading back to your quarters. No one knew you had left. And don't worry, my inquiries were indirect. No one else knows. Not yet."

The only mildly veiled threat disturbed X deeply. This man was all but his father, adopted as he was. "I had to take care of something quietly."

"And upgrade yourself again, in the process."

X remained grave himself, but didn't respond yet.

Dr. Cain stood up slowly. "I know I can't stop you from choosing your path, X. I am concerned because of the warnings Dr. Light gave us about you. According to his data, you should be fine. According to your behavior in the last few days, I'm not so sure."

"So you're the reason Zero took me aside?"

Dr. Cain winced. "Yes and no. He took my concerns far more literally than I intended. No, I don't think you're a maverick, X. I'm afraid you're becoming something much worse."

X's fists clenched. "And that would be?"

"A free-thinking killer. Like a human," the doctor looked over his glasses at the Reploid with rare candor. "Secretive excursions, hiding your activities. It's not just the fighting, X."

X sighed, relaxing his frame. "Doctor, I appreciate how you've taken care of me. I've known from the moment you opened my capsule that I could trust you. I still trust you." He looked up into Dr. Cain's eyes. "There are very specific reasons I am keeping my secrets, Doctor, and they aren't malicious. Some truths are very delicate, and must be handled properly. Don't you agree?"

"For mass consumption, I do. This is between you and me, X."

"Not always just for the masses, Doctor," X replied in a clear, smooth tone. "I have theories, and I am working to prove them. If they are debased, I'll let you know what they were if you still want to know. If they are proven correct, then my work has only just begun."

"Then I could help you, X."

X shook his head. "Not on this one, Dr. Cain. You're too close to the work. You're too ashamed of the maverick problem, you'll jump to conclusions too quickly. I have to ask you to trust me."

"You're the one hiding things, X. This doesn't speak of trust."

"I know you would do what you think is best, Dr. Cain. However, the damage of anyone beyond me knowing what I know is too great. It would do harm."

Dr. Cain started forward with his staff, and X let him walk past, the door opening.

"…X," the doctor began in a weary manner, "I will never doubt your dedication again. However, from this point forward, we are comrades as Hunters, my knowledge as a tool for the war we find ourselves in. We can't be friends with these gaps between us."

X closed his eyes, but said, "Then that is how it must be."

Dr. Cain glanced over his shoulder, as if to speak again, but shook his head, and walked out.

After the door sealed, X opened his eyes, tears slowly dripping down his face. _I wish I thought that would be the high price of my choices…_

Wiping the water off his face, he walked over to his charge-station, and settled in for the remainder of the night.

[Author's Note]

There were enough 'little things' to resolve before moving on that they deserved a united chapter of their own to move things along properly. My personal highlights from the chapter are the conversations in each piece. They help move along core elements of the unique parts of the plot I'm trying to tell.

Also, that robot defending the armor-upgrade always annoys the pudding out of me. It takes so long to kill! I had to turn it into a mini-boss in the story itself just because.

Once more, thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them, and they help keep me going. I'm excited about the next chapter, and look forward to your thoughts on this and the ones to come!


	6. Chapter 5: The Infection

Chapter 5: "The Infection"

X stepped into the command-center early the next morning, and was a bit surprised to see it already bustling with activity. Zero was at the central console, as expected. X marched up to him quickly. "Is there another attack?"

Zero glanced over his shoulder, clearly only distracted by X's approach. "We're launching several simultaneous assaults on Sigma's forces. Trying to capitalize on the momentum you've built up."

X frowned slightly. So many lives at stake would never settle right with him. Or at least, he hoped it never would. He came up on Zero's left so he could speak quietly and still be heard. "I intend to infiltrate the ice base."

Zero shook his head. "We already dispatched a team. Squad 4."

X's optics twitched, alarmed and stuck. "W-why?"

Zero finally stared at him. "We're not just your back-up, X. You've handled several missions, this is one of theirs."

X leaned away, starting to march toward the exit.

Zero looked forward darkly, and then flickered. He appeared in front of X, a hand to his comrade's chestplate. "They have it handled, X." His tone was a firm warning.

X's surprisingly dark, determined expression locked eyes with Zero. "I need to investigate the ice-base, Zero. I'll back up Squad 4."

"Your squad is slated to hit the docks, X. Launch Octopus' forces will be vulnerable there this afternoon."

_No, it doesn't feel right. Launch's profile showed him to be a master of ocean-based combat. He wouldn't fall for the most basic tricks in the book. I'm equipped for Chill right now. And if Squad 4 kills him outright…_ X gripped Zero's wrist, making the red Reploid's eyes sharpen. "I've infiltrated that base once before. I'm best suited to backing up Squad 4 right now. And you can't seriously expect Launch to leave his docking armada vulnerable, can you?"

"Those are your orders, Maverick Hunter," Zero persisted, and this time, his hand gave a subtle, but firm shove.

It forced X back one step, but his frame tensed, and Zero's buster twitched faintly.

"Commander Zero, sir!" one of the comm-Reploids quickly shouted from off to X's left.

Zero grimaced down to the side. "What is it?"

"We've lost contact with squad 4, sir! We were just receiving an urgent contact from Alia, and the signal went dead!"

X and Zero were at his console in a flicker of sparked flooring.

"Which part of the complex were they in?" X asked.

"One of the processing labs, sir."

"That's in the heart of the facility. Zero, they need back-up!"

Zero grimaced, but just snapped his arm toward the door. "Go!"

X streaked for the door, his boost shaking the air.

Zero clenched the top of the comm-officers chair. _This is going to be a problem._

[The Ice Base]

Her respirator pumped sharply as she ran with all her power. Leaping around an obstructing support-pillar, she fired several plasma-bolts back with her energy-pistol. Bat-bots and a couple of wheels took hits, dropping and crashing down, but dozens more were pursuing her from every angle.

Her black and pale red frame was already badly battered from combat. Parts of her surface were cut clean through, exposing her servos and hydraulics as she sprinted.

A wheel shot in from her right as she twisted into a right-turn. She barely spin-hopped over it in time, but her footing skidded on an iced patch of the floor under the pipes. Recovering even as she fell, her free hand clawed into the cement, and she yanked herself forward.

Aiming back without looking, she fired another volley, the waves of force from her blasts pulsing her golden hair that had fallen loose from her helmet. The pale red and black helmet was cracked and half-missing at the back.

"Brave of you to fight so hard!" Chill Penguin's voice echoed between the heavy pipes above and to her sides.

Alia grimaced, grunting with anger and determination as she made herself run harder. Hydraulic fluid suddenly burst out of her flank, and she cried out from a pang of despair, face-planting the floor with a horrid crack.

"You just watched your entire squad get cut down, and still you won't freeze up in terror. Don't worry. The temperature will take care of that all too soon, child. You never should have come here!"

A mech-suit crashed down to her immediate right. It had somehow come out of the piping.

Alia rammed her gun-hand down, flipping herself over onto her back just as the mech's fist came crashing down. The fist itself was the size of her entire torso, and it shattered a crater where she'd been face-down. A basic Reploid body was manning the mech-suit, but it was completely generic, and she knew it had little more than a bot-brain driving it.

"Not that easy," she rasped from her battered face, one optic darkened and cracked, aiming straight into bot's face, and fired a continuous volley.

The bot pitched back as its head was dismantled from plasma fire. The shoulders, chest, and arms were shorn down in quick succession, the suit crashing back limply without a functioning driver.

Clutching her flank, Alia managed to stand, and start to run toward the light she could see at the end of the hall. Hydraulic fluid was still gushing out between her fingers in waves with each cycle of her running pattern.

A wall of bat-bots was swarming down upon her from behind, and while she fired back, she realized after one glance she was done-for. Still firing, she touched her comm at her ear, letting her fluid pour down her side. "Hunter base! Can you read me yet!"

"No, they can't," Chill answered.

He was right beside her, she didn't have to look to know that. His voice was all but at her throat.

Alia's fear was rigidly disciplined into battle-focus, and she twisted as she ducked forward. A streak of something cold filled the air she had occupied that split-second before, and she started her somersault through the snow that had blown down the hall, she fired up at the dark mass coming down on her.

It somehow twisted under her shots, and flickered into the far wall, but she kept firing with her arm, her shoulder rotating completely as she somersaulted over into a fresh sprint for the exit. Her volley of shots put a nice dent in the bat-bot population surging after her, tripping several wheels over themselves with the wreckage raining down.

"That hydraulic leak is bad, kid. You'll seize up in a few more steps," Chill's voice echoed this time, close, but all around her.

She knew he was right, her own systems were screaming at her to stop.

A shadow appeared ahead of her. She snapped her pistol forward even as her vision exploded with urgent internal warnings. Her legs locked in mid-stride, but she kept aiming even as she started to crash forward. If it was Chill, she could still…

"Stay down!" X roared, a geyser of snow and steam in his wake as he came blurring in at full speed.

Alia saw it was X at last, just in time to stop herself from pulling the trigger. Her relief choked when she saw he was completely alone. _No! You'll just get killed! Get out and warn them!_

He was glowing. Purple-blue light was engulfing the newly realized Hunter. Alia's working optic widened as she hit the snow and cement at last, watching him aim forward, and fire a torrential shock-wave of plasma down the hall just over her back.

The mass of bots down the hall turned into a tunnel of their melting bodies. Clear back to the next junction, they just started to rain down to the floor, crackling, some still exploding from overheated compressors.

X skidded to a halt with a sharp metal-on-cement scrape, and dropped to one knee at Alia's side. "Can you move?" he asked instantly.

"N-not really," Alia managed. Even her voice was garbled and crackling.

X's eyes flared. This Reploid was barely alive, and she'd pushed herself this far. "And your squad-mates?" he asked next, his hand reaching to his comm at his ear.

Alia didn't even try to force her head to turn so she could look up at him. Tears dripped from her working eye. "All dead." Her hands clenched around her gun and the ground. "You have to get out of here! Chill Penguin is in this hallway! Tell HQ to send a full force if they want this place, it's overrun!"

X's hand pressed to her back, and Alia froze, her eye softening with the gentle shock.

"…You're sure about your friends?" he asked quietly.

"…Yes." Her eye squeezed shut, and she let her head sink into the snow.

X wasted no more time. "Command! I need an emergency teleport for Hunter Alia!"

"We can't lock onto either of you there. I can barely read you, X!" Zero's voice shouted back.

"Get her outside, sir!" one of the comm-techs added urgently.

Alia's gun hand released her weapon, and gripped X's leg. "Run. I'm dead weight."

X firmed, the vision of that woman dying in his arms all too clear to his mind. "No. You're not dead weight."

He gripped the arm holding his leg, and hefted Alia up in one sharp gesture. Alia couldn't help a little yelp of surprise as she was rolled up into his arms facing upward. One of his arms was under her knees, his other at her back, and he just started dashing for the end of the hall.

Able to see his face clearly for the first time, Alia was taken with the rigid determination in his expression. It was almost frightening with its intensity, but his arms held her secure without crushing her wounds.

"Your legs seized?" he asked, his voice sharp with focus, but not anger.

"Too much… fluid lost," she managed, her voice crackling.

"Activate my comm."

She reached around his face, touching his ear-piece.

X quickly spoke, "Zero, Alia is in bad shape. Have the teleporter locked onto point 85.95 by 93.45. Ready in 4 seconds!"

"Got it!"

Alia blinked at him. "That's ten meters outside the door, how would we-!" she cut herself off as the open light burst around them, and X outright threw her forward.

She looked back, time slowing for her, and saw bat-bots, wheels, and Chill Penguin himself surging up the hall behind X. He was already twisting back toward them, energy pouring up over his buster-arm and body.

Light engulfed her, but she reached out. _Don't be stupid…_

She teleported up into the sky flawlessly. She never touched the ground.

[In the Base]

Chill Penguin let himself skid to a halt, smirking as his force poured forward around him. X ran normally at them, sweeping his buster forward. "Chill Penguin!"

"This should be fun, boy."

X fired.

Another siege-wave of power ripped out, shaking the frame of the large doorway to the ice-base. The bots surging toward him were, once more, all but evaporated by the power of the explosive attack.

X came dashing through the still glowing cloud of energy, his eyes tightening as he realized Chill Penguin was nowhere to be seen. He skidded to a halt, wavering a bit on the icy ground. "…All that, and you hide from me?" X called out to the walls.

"Tactical advantage, X. I'm no idiot. You've taken out two of our best. No one expected it, but you're clearly good at fighting. I wonder, though, how good you are in my domain?"

His sonic adapters couldn't pinpoint the voice. The very building itself was echoing Chill's voice perfectly. Those pipes weren't just for moving fluids and gas. _Did he really design this place to that level of detail? It even helps make his voice a weapon?_

"I see the doubt in your optics, X. Did I make the building so perfectly? Who would? You remember my profile, don't you?"

X's lips pressed into a line. "…You did everything you could to avoid death. You always captured your enemies in humane ways. You're the reason we have any data on living Mavericks at all."

"Humane, you say. Hah. Not quite, X. Do you know the easiest way to get a Maverick to surrender?"

X was charging more energy over himself as he slowly looked around the hall. "I'll bite. What is it?"

Chill's face was in the piping just as X turned to it. X's eyes flared with panic, his arm rising up.

"You terrify him."

Chill somehow pulled back into the gap between the pipes like a flicker of light, and X's shot only resulted in a smoldering cave in the wall.

A cave, not a crater. X's brow crease as he looked into the darkness waiting beyond the pipes. "…This isn't a hallway…" he realized.

The maps were wrong, the read-outs and data for the entire facility were wrong.

It was one massive chamber, divided into a seemingly labyrinthine network of halls and chambers by the pipes.

"It was my own discovery," Chill went on. "Mavericks are desperately violent… and if you can break through that to reach their fear? Well… suffice to say, few things become more pathetic. I've also learned something fascinating. Would you care to add it to your research?"

X stepped through the hole, his feet carefully grinding onto ice-slicked rock. "And what have you learned, Chill?" _His voice is carrying directly in here. I can pinpoint him…_

"That even the noble Hunters become trembling children in the dark. That girl you just rescued was the only one worth her salt. Poor creature, though. I doubt she'll ever fully recover. I think she saw one of them get torn in half right in front of her!"

X's buster shifted, his colors gaining an orange tint. "You slaughtered her squad in front of her?" His voice was dead, his head bowed so even the little light remaining couldn't show his eyes.

"All too easily, X. It was downright insulting to my pride as a former Hunter. I would've chewed those green recruits into scrap in training. Something like 'pull yourself together, or you'll get taken apart.' Well… they couldn't pull it together."

X's other hand clenched into a fist. "And how do you explain your change, Chill? From a noble Hunter who wanted to save lives, to this psychopath speaking to me now? Your tortured and nearly killed Alia just because she attacked your base. You murdered her friends and allies."

"Oh, simple really."

X's body tensed. _Out to the right…_

"I got sick of wasting my time," Chill Penguin's voice dropped to an acidic contempt. "There's always another Maverick, X. You'll learn that soon. I wonder how many friends dying in your arms you'll last. I broke at number seven."

"That makes no sense, Chill. Grief doesn't make you a killer. It doesn't explain your change," X couldn't stop the emotions from tightening his voice.

"_Doesn't it!_" Chill roared, ice scraping as the air roared from the speed of his body rushing straight toward X in the dim light.

X snapped his buster up and unleashed a gout of flame, but he couldn't even follow the speed. The flames were torn apart by the passing rush, and X himself had his feet wrenched out from beneath him. Only his new armor spared his legs.

Face-planting with a pained grunt, X quickly scrambled onto his feet, and lashed flame-torrents around himself, lighting and burning the space around him, giving him surer footing. Wet was better than iced.

At last his optics could pick up on the lights faintly glimmering across the ceiling so high above. The facility really was huge. The 'lab' in the center was like a small set of buildings in the middle of a dark field.

Chill Penguin came somersaulting out from a rafter above. X aimed up, firing normal buster shots in rapid succession.

Grinning, Chill snapped his hands out, deflecting the shots out to the sides. With a wave of purling mist rising over his beak, he opened his maw, and lurched down. Blasts of ice came hurtling down toward X from Chill's gullet.

X ducked into a dash, skidding along the ice at full speed as blasts of ice exploded behind him.

Chill landed, and skidded after X, moving with incredible speed as he fired more shotgun ice blasts after the Hunter.

X tried to weave between the shots, but nearly sent himself skidding out toward the far wall. The floor was curving. Was it really all just a massive ice-cave?

Chill Penguin shot past him, whirling up onto one foot like a dance. "You can move quickly, boy, but you're lost on the ice! It takes finesse!"

X aimed, firing, but his eyes watched as Chill smoothly twirled down and shot off to the side, just past X as the Reploid came rushing forward. Chill was smiling down at him sidelong for that one moment. Those optics were hazed over.

X twisted, barely staying upright as his feet clipped and scraped on the ice, his booster thrusts keeping him accelerating toward Chill Penguin.

Chill opened his beak again, and this time unleashed a venting blast of freezing mist. X watched as statues of sharpened penguin-figures formed in a rush, and started to skate toward him at high speed from Chill Penguin's venting shove.

Instinctively, X fire-blasted one, and it melted enough for him to dodge it, but the other was coming in too fast. X leapt over it, flipping. His feet hit the ground solidly only for a moment, and he slammed flat, skidding along helplessly.

Chill Penguin was skating backward at X's side the next moment, X staring up at him in shock. Smiling, the actually smaller Reploid raised his right fist, clenching it. "I'll bring you back as an ice-sculpture. You'll get to see my private collection!"

The fist came hammering down. X's body flexed, and he caught the blow with all four of his limbs.

It was so strong they both ground to a halt instantly, X grimacing as the ice sharded under his back, cement digging into his plates. A wave of mist pulsed out from the blow, Penguin's hydraulics moaning.

_He's this strong!_ X realized with shock. _I'm an idiot. Of course. His profile confirms he's a master of melee combat._

Chill Penguin used his other hand to bat X's shoulder. Despite the broken ice, it was still enough for X to start spinning rapidly.

This time, however, Chill's left fist hit a blocking leg, and X's hand gripped his right wrist. Chill Penguin's optics flared as the buster appeared at his face, the pilot-light for the plasma torch from Flame Mammoth already burning.

"Finesse, right?" X muttered, their eyes locked viciously around the buster in the gloom.

Chill suddenly smirked, his beak opening.

Shotgun ice and flame collided the next instant.

The two Reploids were skidding away from each other, both steaming from the explosion, scorches on their armor.

Chill Penguin flowed back easily, lowering his arms, but his optics sharpened as he watched X fluidly spin into a crouched stop further away. _…He learned that fast? …Now I see. This is how he came out of nowhere. How Vile beat him so easily at the start. Dr. Light's true legacy is that power right there. He can learn and adapt like nothing I've ever seen._

"Are you ready, Chill?" X asked with grim iron in his voice.

Chill cracked his hydraulic neck, and vented mist out of his flanks. "Indeed. Come on then, boy. Let's finish this game."

They both burst forward, the air howling around their metal frame, the ice sheering in their wake. X had his buster back, charging as flame bled out of the barrel. Chill's beak was open, cryonic energy pouring back around his face.

"This is no game!" X roared at last, and lunged just as they were to collide.

Ice shards flew out, tearing through support pillars, ice, and ceiling alike.

However, a shockwave of fire tore back through Chill Penguin's path, spreading and writhing back.

Chill Penguin himself flew out of the epicenter next, his body cracked, steaming, and scorched.

His optics dimming as he fell back, Chill started to smile again. _This kid can do it… Sigma can't beat that…_

His body hit the ground, tumbling violently until it hit a support, and just bent around it, falling inactive.

X slowly stood up, his body smoking and steaming equally. Exhaling mist from his warmed respirator, he started to walk toward Chill Penguin's frame as his buster reverted to his hand.

Kneeling down at the decimated body of the Maverick, X reached down, and started to open the maintenance hatches of his structure. "Codes… chips… and the buffer," he muttered, finally pulling out a larger, black box.

The human woman, bleeding to death in his arms. The body-parts in the factory. Alia all but in pieces in his arms. Flame Mammoth writhing and screaming as his body exploded in the slowest, most painful way possible.

X leaned on his raised knee, his head sinking as tears dripped down his face. They hit the ground as ice crystals.

"…This has to stop."

[Back at HQ]

X teleported into headquarters to see Zero and a group of other Hunters waiting for him. Zero's eyes were wide at the sight of his comrade. X was more than a little battered this time, and his expression was dark.

"…Is Alia alright?" X asked first.

Zero nodded. "Yes, X. She should be just fine by morning. They have to replace most of her lower-body, but she was already cracking some jokes," he finished a bit of dry humor. He had to become serious again just because of how X was behaving. "You should probably join her in the medical bay, X."

X stepped down onto the floor from the teleport receiver. "I will. Chill Penguin is dead. The access codes from his system allowed me to shut the ice base down. I suggest deploying to secure the territory."

Zero looked to one of the Reploids with him. "Send squads ten and five."

"Sir!" the Reploid saluted, and ran out of the room.

Looking back to the blue-white Reploid, Zero asked, "Are you alright?"

"No," X answered, and eased around Zero, heading for the door himself.

"You won, didn't you?"

X stopped at the door, and twisted around, his eyes etched with horrified confusion as his friend's choice of words. Zero instantly realized something about what he said was not at all what X wanted to hear.

"Won? WON! Alia's team slaughtered! A rogue Hunter dead? Countless innocents dead in that facility alone? We didn't WIN this, Zero. We stopped more death in one location. I am relieved. We didn't win anything." And he just left.

Zero's jaw clenched, his hands on his hips. _We talked about this, X… If you keep thinking like that… I need to let him cool off. He saw some kind of hell in there._

[Later…]

Repaired, X was at his hideout late that night. He had visited Alia, but she'd been asleep as part of her own repairs, so he opted not to linger. He went to his chamber first, this time, just in case Dr. Cain had second-thoughts. X didn't leave for his secret base until he was sure no one was looking, and then made sure the security systems weren't paying attention.

Storm and Flame were online, watching silently, but with rapt attention. X was interfacing another system like theirs near them, as well as a new interface behind him, the black box logged into it already.

"Do you think Chill might have known where Sigma's base is?" X asked as he worked.

Storm shook his head. "He told none of us about the final stronghold. To our faces, it was for operational security, he even ordered us not to tell the others of our own bases, but…"

Flame added, "Even as Mavericks, we knew he just didn't trust us. Well… most of us."

"Ah, right. Vile."

X glanced up. "You think he knows?"

"Possibly," Storm continued. "He's very much Sigma's right hand. If anyone would, he would."

"Fair enough. Ah, here we go. Booting up," X said as he sat upright.

The screen flashed, and another holographic face appeared. This time Chill Penguin appeared immediately, but his image was head-bowed, optics morose.

"Can you hear me, Chill?" X asked first.

The hologram looked up, and nodded quietly. "…Collecting us?"

"In a manner of speaking." X gestured to the other screens.

Storm spoke first, "We have a chance to help fix this, Chill Penguin."

"Any information you have would be invaluable on top of everything else, Chill," X added. "Sigma's base, your own operations, anything."

Chill sighed faintly. "I know nothing of Sigma's main base. He never told us. I also didn't really care enough to keep tabs on the others at the time. I should have…"

"Do you still feel Sigma is in the right?" Flame Mammoth asked pointedly.

Chill smirked, looking down. "That monstrosity? Please. Granted, I'm just as bad as he is now. …So… the Maverick issue… You're investigating it directly?" he asked X, looking straight at him.

X nodded. "Exactly. It just doesn't make sense, Chill. You, Flame, Storm. None of you were acting like yourselves. And if I'm right, you, in particular, have a vested interest in stopping Sigma."

Chill's expression turned dark. "…You mean that I want vengeance for being turned into a murderer?"

X shook his head this time. "That you want to stop him wasting more lives."

"Like squad 4," Chill nodded, but was weak with grief. It was clear in his quiet voice and bowed image. "…Alia, she's…?"

"Making a full recover."

Even Flame saw the core-deep relief that subtly washed over Chill's image. After a moment to collect himself, he looked past X, and asked, "You believe it's in the buffer?"

X nodded to the middle screen. "Flame's idea, actually."

Chill tipped his beak. "Agreed. I feel myself again, but I had no hesitation before. It was something both fundamental and yet separate from the core system. A filter. The buffer is the only logical answer." Looking at X directly, he added, "You don't intend to interface directly, do you?"

X shook his head. "No. I can't risk becoming a Maverick so foolishly." He shifted his chair, and it moved on a mechanical arm, easily rotating him around to the other console. "I'm patching you all into the observation data, however. You'll see what I see."

All three quickly focused on the data opening to them as X started the other console's activity.

It didn't take long, surprisingly.

All four of them paused at the same moment, and X looked over his shoulder at them in growing alarm.

"It's a virus alright," Storm Eagle said, just as grave. "And I've never see one that complex."

"It's almost a personality matrix unto itself," Flame Mammoth gaped.

Chill Penguin was gawking at the data. "That… how could this not have been detected in the other data?"

X leapt out of the chair, and ran to another console some meters away. He was pulling up logs and records. "The buffers, the personality matrix… it was all checked, with not a sign of the virus in place."

"It must be rigged to erase itself on destruction of the host," Flame muttered.

X rubbed his helmet. "Then how did this one survive in the buffer?"

Chill Penguin said, "I wasn't quite dead yet, X. Even if you rip a Reploids core right out, their system is still running for nearly thirty seconds on the capacitors alone. You were the kill-shot and the recovery in all three of our cases, right?"

X frowned thoughtfully, holding his chin. "Yes… I hadn't even thought about it, but I was pulling your memories and personality out of the shells almost immediately after each battle."

Flame Mammoth remained troubled. "This program is too sophisticated. It's beyond anything we've ever seen in Maverick Hunter records, and the Hunters were given highest clearance access as soon as the threat escalated. Just examining it is triggering adaptive matrices and dummy routes."

X nodded. "I saw. It would be almost impossible write a counter program until we cracked it. And in this case, the very act of cracking it would likely destroy the root code we need."

Chill Penguin sighed, "So, for now, nothing changes."

"Not at all, Chill," X said, and this time he was smiling. "Don't you see how much of a break-through this is? We've cured you three of being mavericks, and we've learned that Mavericks are just infected with a virus."

"But without a cure, the creator of that program will just make something worse," Storm added, a bit confused at how happy X was.

"We have to be secretive still, yes, but don't see you, guys? This means we can move to phase 2."

Storm blinked. "You're serious?"

Chill Penguin raised an eyebrow. "Phase 2?"

Flame Mammoth was still stunned, explained, "We come back undercover. New bodies, new identities. The team that knows the truth, so we can help end the Maverick threat forever. Now, that means finding the cure for the virus."

"You three are some of our best and brightest. You still are. Also, and more importantly, all three of you know more than anyone how high the stakes are, and how awful the threat really is. So what do you say?" X raised his hands out to the sides. "Will you work for me in secret? Until the day when we can get your real bodies back and explain the whole truth?"

Storm Eagle raised his head, "X, I deserve death. My old body, my old self, should probably stay dead, but if I can help in any way, you know I'm here. I'd be honored to help, secret or not."

Flame Mammoth nodded slowly. "I failed too greatly. I must do all that I can. It won't make up for my actions, but devoting my life to ending this insanity is the only choice left."

Chill Penguin looked down, but was nodding. "For those I've killed, for those yet to come. For all the lives that should have all the time they can. I will take the secret to my grave, while fighting as a new person. Still, there is much to discuss if that's the real plan. Logistics, positioning, methods of contact."

X nodded. "Exactly. Welcome aboard. …Should we have a code-name for the group? We might get new recruits after all."

Storm Eagle chuckled. "X-Hunters."

X blinked, "I'm not trying to bloat my ego, guys…"

Flame laughed outright, "No, it's perfect, X! We're your team, and we're all former Maverick Hunters. Mavericks turned rogue to rejoin the right side. I say X-Hunters it is!"

Chill Penguin even chuckled. "Not bad. I'm for it."

X was blushing as he laughed a bit, rubbing the back of his helmet. "If you guys are sure… I was thinking like… the Reploid Defense Force or something."

The three on the screen shared a look.

Then shook their heads.

"X-Hunters."

[HQ Med-Bay]

Alia groaned a bit. There was some residual pain-data, but she felt immensely better. She was just grateful that surreal moment of X coming to her rescue was actually real. For a time, she'd feared she was dead, and just fantasizing about a last-minute rescue. Especially after her squad…

Her deep blue eyes opened slowly. Unsurprisingly, she was in the medical bay of headquarters, and she could tell her body was already repaired and replaced as needed. Her feet worked, after all.

Surprise only lit her gentle face when she saw Zero sitting at her bed side. He was looking off, his sadly serious expression of thought gazing into nothing. "…C-Commander Zero?"

He blinked, and then smiled down at her. "Welcome back, Alia. How do you feel?"

"Much better, sir. To what do I owe the honor?" A fear was building in the back of her mind. Her whole squad was gone, this was probably a discharge notice…

Zero was sadly quiet for a moment, and then reached down, picking her hand up in both of his. Alia blushed gently, staring up at him. "…We sent 'em off proud, Alia."

Tears started to well up in her eyes. "T-thank you, sir." Swallowing (an affected gesture taken from humans, but she swore it actually helped somehow) she managed, "I know I bare the responsibility for my squads failure and deaths. How should I handle my resignation, sir?"

Zero shook his head, releasing her hand at last. "No, Alia. You're not getting discharged for this. Your squad fought well, and were overwhelmed by a larger enemy force."

Alia blinked. He was becoming agitated, his eyes glancing out to the observing med-techs and other patients. "Sir, are you okay?"

Zero clenched his jaw, looked down for a moment, and then faced her again. "Most everyone would tell me not to tell you this, Alia. I'm a bit too selfish, though, and I'm sorry. I have to tell you."

Her head sank back, perplexed. "…Alright?"

"It's my fault your squad died."

Alia knew the mission. Her brow creased, and she looked up at him incredulously. "How do you figure, sir?"

He was actually wringing his hands. "X wanted that mission from the start. He's had a bit of unhealthy solo-attitude going the whole time, so we wanted to enforce a bit of order on him," Alia knew he meant Dr. Cain and Zero himself. "We sent your squad in before he knew about it to add to that effort. You weren't properly prepared, and I sent you in. Axl, Vox, and Hard-Case's deaths are all on me, Alia. If we'd just let X do his thing… probably no one would've died."

Alia sighed, and actually propped herself up on her elbows, eyeing him dryly. "Sir, permission to speak freely?"

"Of course," he answered, looking at her intently.

"Stop being such an idiot?"

Zero blinked.

"All due respect, I was the one in there with my team. I saw the mistakes we all made, and the things we did right. Parts of their deaths were my fault, some their own, but well knew what our orders mean, and how dangerous the situation was. Send one Reploid in or a full squad of fully trained hunters? Just because X seems to be exceptional was no reason to make a different call. Honestly, sir, I think you made the right call. If that's what's going on with X, he needs that curbed fast, or someone will get killed."

Zero smirked, and let his head loll down with a little laugh. "And here I was all worried you were going to scream and beat on me."

"Well I can beat on you if you really want me to," she retorted dryly, an eyebrow twitching.

Zero raised his hands quickly. "You know what I meant."

Alia eased into a little laugh with him, and she sat up properly. "So he did it?"

Zero nodded. "Shut down the entire facility, and took out Chill Penguin. We secured it properly in force, but the tough part was already done."

Alia looked down at the sheets over her legs, her hands in her lap. X rushing toward her came back to her mind. That almost frightening determination on his face, the way he held her, how precise and powerful he was about getting her out, and then going right back into hell to get the job done. _I'd heard stories, but face-to-face, I can't help my admiration of him. He really only just started to fight?_

"You okay?" Zero asked casually.

Alia smiled up at him. "Yes, sir. Just remembering how well X saved my life. It was… honestly amazing how he did it."

Zero pulled a piece of paper out from his back, and offered it to her as he looked away. "His quarters. I know you'll want to thank him to his face."

Alia took it quietly, and then looked up at him. "Sir, there is one thing I'd like to request."

Her official tone made him change gears, and he stood at-ease. "Go ahead, Hunter."

"The mistakes I made in there… I would like to transfer to logistics."

Zero's eyes tightened. "You want a desk-job after all that?"

She nodded. "Axl died because of a rookie mistake I made. Hard-Case took a shot for me as he started to retreat. Vox tried to suggest an alternate plan, but I shouted her down. I didn't make the right calls, and it killed them. That wasn't ALL that killed them, but if I hadn't done those things, they'd be alive. I want to help, but I don't think I've been vetted for combat properly."

Zero rubbed the back of his helmet with a sigh. "…We need some logistics coverage, so I won't deny your transfer request. Just know that, personally, I advise against it. You need to face those thoughts head on. You'll feel like you caved to fear otherwise."

"I'll fight if you order me to, sir, but I believe this is the right decision. I can fight, but… I just don't think my mind works in-combat. I understand the data, the information, but the actual heat of the moment." She cringed, looking down. "It was watching X that clarified it for me, sir."

Zero's brow creased. "How do you mean?"

Alia looked up at him. "He just gets it, sir. How to move, what to do, when to do it. His reactions were so fast. I was being teleported out before I really, truly knew what was going on around me. That's the real deal, that's what it takes to get that job done. I'm glad I know how to fight, and I'll keep up with my licenses and training, but that's beyond me. I prefer to be support."

Zero folded his arms, thoughtful. _So it's true then. He's adapting that fast. His fight with Vile was what we all expected. He got his skidplate handed to him. Now he's pasting the floor with some of the toughest enemy forces we've seen, and solo._ "…Understood, Alia. Submit the proper paperwork as soon as you wish, I'll see it finalized."

Alia lightly pulled her covers off, and stood up to a full salute. "Thank you, sir!"

Zero chuckled, but returned the salute properly, and walked out with a casual wave over his shoulder.

Still hearing his ping-hiss of walking away, Alia looked down at the piece of paper he handed her. She nodded, and started to walk out herself.

[Later…]

X was just going to head down the next morning to join the strategy meeting when his quarters door chimed. A bit puzzled, he walked over, and opened it to see Alia standing there.

Her full helmet was changed for a modified hair-band with comm-antennae, and her golden hair was nicely situated into a clean, flowing pin-up. Her pink and red armor was clean and glistening, focus gems of emerald shining at her heart, shoulders, elbows, and knees. Most of her body was a simple, black suit beyond it.

"Alia!" X exclaimed, not hiding his shock. He immediately smiled, however, "You look like you're doing much better."

The warmth of his smile caught her off-guard. She'd thought of him as a bit of a grim stoic based on their tense first meeting, but this was a cordial, gentle Reploid. Smiling back, she rubbed the back of her neck shyly. "Thanks. I wanted to be upfront, and say how grateful I am you saved my life face to face."

X chuckled. "You're entirely welcome. And are you feeling better? You look wonderful!"

She would have thought he was flirting if not for how completely energetic and innocent he sounded. Giggling a bit, blushing for the topic, she nodded, "I feel great! Legs are working!" She actually leaned onto one foot, and playfully kicked the other out to the side.

X laughed happily. "I'm so glad!"

Alia grinned as her foot came down, and then gave a little wave. "Just wanted to be official about it, like I said. I know you're busy, sir."

"Sir?" X asked, blinking.

"Oh, right. You outrank me. I transferred to logistics, sir," she gave a proper salute.

X's face fell gently. "May I ask why?"

Alia shrugged, relaxing down from the salute. "I made mistakes. I don't believe I'm properly capable on the field, but I do have strong logistical talents. I look forward to possibly working with you in future," she tried to finish with a smile.

X couldn't stop himself from reaching out, touching her shoulder. Alia blinked, seeing how sad he was.

"…It wasn't your fault, Alia."

Alia had to smirk a little, looking down. "Not all of it, but there were parts that are totally on me, sir."

"If I'd done my job properly, none of you would have gone into that hell," X affirmed, unable to hide all the bitterness seeping into his voice.

Alia sighed, and set her hands on her hips. "Alright, look. I already had to give Zero enough of a butt-kicking on the topic. You saved my life, you did an amazing job, and it's not your fault. You're the reason I'm alive to thank you."

X blinked at her rapid delivery of the information. "…I-I see. Sorry, Alia. And please, just call me X."

"That wouldn't be appropriate, sir," she admonished him, but she was playfully smiling.

X nervously laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "No?"

"Nope."

"I'm not great with ranks."

"…I'm a Lieutenant, sir," she said softly when she realized what the real problem was.

Blushing, X said, "Then thank you, Lieutenant. Still… please let me say that I… I wish I had been there sooner."

"I know you do, sir. But that's not your fault." Alia offered her hand. "Deal?"

X chuckled, and shook her hand. "Deal."

"Now come on. I held you up longer than I meant to. Strategy meeting, right?"

X blanched. "Yes!"

With a bit of a laugh, Alia started running with him down the hallway. Privately it struck her, _He's such a nice guy. I never would have known that seeing him fight._

They just kept hurrying down the hall.

[Author's Note]

This chapter turned out much better than originally planned. It was going to be some lackluster, extended fight between X and Chill, with nothing else going on. Yeah, I know, it would've sucked.

Because I knew that, I kept trying to come up with something that make this a real chapter and not an exaggerated battle-scene. And then bang, it hit me. Thank G'd for sudden inspiration, because this was a treat!

Alia and Chill Penguin were pleasures to write in their own ways here. For Alia (and, to be clear, yes, this is the Alia that joins the official games in MMX5, the only part of that game I found interesting), I think I struck the right balance between cliché damsel in distress and kick-butt hunter in a tough spot. I may be arrogant in thinking so, but I do.

Chill was just so deliciously evil. His actions and lines flowed a little too well. It was creepy… and awesome. I think he randomly became my favorite Maverick thanks to writing this story.

And I get to foreshadow some delightful little ideas I've had percolating. I love it.

Thanks again for the reviews, folks! They really help!


	7. Chapter 6: Power Grid

Chapter 6: "Power Grid"

The meeting was already started when the two arrived, but only just so. Zero gave them both a little look, Alia blushing as she ducked and rushed off to a seat in the corner. X was only marginally more composed, slinking to a seat near the center with a gentle clear of his throat to apologize to the Reploids that had to move for him.

The Hunter forces had made progress beyond X's own at long last. Zero detailed it as such, "We've got footholds on the major ports at last. Launch Octopus has no known port to regroup. Maverick forces outside the mines in the East have been pressed back into the central hub under Armor Armadillo's direct control. We've also pressed most Maverick forces out of the communication hubs. Now Boom Kuwanger only has his central command hub, but it is heavily fortified."

Zero continued, shifting the view to bring up profiles for Spark Mandrill and Sting Chameleon. "We're still having trouble with Sting and Spark. In Sting's case, this is expected, as he's a master of stealth and gorilla warfare, and took the hydroponic forest before we even knew there was a battle going on. We're hoping to isolate, and take the forest last.

"Spark Mandrill is the real concern right now. His profile before going Maverick indicated a front-line combatant and weapon specialist, but he's been all but absent from combat so far. Our scouts have spotted him at several major power-stations around the world. With our resources spread so thin, we've only been able to dedicate a small force to Spark's bases, and every time we seem to make progress at one, he bolsters or outright reclaims another."

Grim, Zero looked across the gathered Hunters, "At present, we have no idea where he actually is."

X frowned, leaning onto his knees. _This _is_ very strange. Mavericks intensify their aggression, they don't lose it. Spark Mandrill was more up front before all of this. Something must be going on we can't even detect. Something else must have his attention…_

Patching into the information net mentally, X tried to follow Zero's briefing and check on his concerns. He was loading up a psychological profile that was more detailed for Spark Mandrill compared to the summary Zero was showing the group.

X's eyes flared subtly. _Weapons research. Spark was obsessed with it even as a Hunter._ Instantly, he raised his hand.

Zero blinked, and focused on his friend. "…Question, X?"

X stood up. "Sir," he kept it professional in public, "have any of those power-stations received shipments? Supplies, anything."

Zero frowned thoughtfully, and turned to the main console as the gathered Hunters murmured seriously. Alia was watching X, realizing he might be onto something vital as well. Her own study of Spark's profile made her uneasy with the Maverick's behavior, but everything had been so chaotic, and then she was sent to the ice-base.

Zero sighed, looking back over his shoulder. "We're not sure. The scouts were looking for strike-points and lay-out data. I don't have any notes about shipments or transports, but in theory, they weren't really ordered to make note of them. Any base would logically need some supplies."

"Permission to look into that, sir?" X continued.

Zero eyed him for a moment. _We were planning to deploy X against the armada next, but I feel like it would be a mistake to cut him off. Especially with all that's happened._ "…Granted. Work fast, X. We need to keep up our momentum, even if Spark is a troubling issue."

X saluted, twisted, and dashed for the doors.

He skidded to a halt when the entire room flickered from a loss of power, the doorway slamming shut as a security default.

"Stations!" Zero ordered instantly. "Sit rep!"

The Hunters and technicians raced to their stations around the chamber, power still flickering violently.

Alia, however, ran to the wall, popped a maintenance hatch, and plugged a wire from it into a datapad she pulled from her back.

X's voice almost make her jump, "What are you looking for?"

She blinked up at him, and then focused back on her work. Why he'd come straight to her with everything going on was confusing, but a quiet part of her wondered if he knew what she was looking for and was impressed. "The timing is a little too neat. I think this might be a disguised attack."

Zero shouted across the chamber, "Can we get the power stabilized!"

Another technician shouted back, "The back-up systems are failing as well, sir! It's our major priority to get to the bottom of this, but we need time!"

Zero slammed his fist into the flickering display table. _This is too close, too tight._ His mental data started to draw up the battle plans and data from the power-station battles, overlaid onto a massive grid-map.

Alia clenched her fist. "Got it!" Her screen was displaying a holographic lay-out of headquarters, emphasizing the power-grid relays. "The data is piece-meal, but here it is!" she explained as X leaned in, his eyes locked on her screen. "It's not just a power-surge. The currents spiked on the auxiliary levels first, then hit the primary. This is a targeted attack, and-!" she cut herself as her screen flared a warning.

X's eyes flared with her as he saw what it meant. "Oh G'd…"

Alia shouted across to Zero, "Commander Zero! We have a priority one alert!"

Zero flickered to them, the air pulsing around the trio from his quick movement. "Explain?"

Alia lifted the display. "It's a power-attack. The energy system is being overloaded deliberately, and the data I'm calculating shows that this is just a build up. We're about to get an electrical surge to the entire building on a siege-weapon scale!"

Zero shot upright. "PRIORITY ONE!"

The room froze briefly to listen.

"We are under attack through the power-system! CUT ALL POWER LINES NOW!"

"But, sir! That will leave headquarters out of commission for weeks!"

"Better than all of us dying!" Zero shouted back.

X quickly looked to Alia, "Is there any way to stop it? Cut it off before it hits us?"

Alia quickly punched more commands into her pad, her eyes blurring over the data. "My data is only predictive, so I could be totally wrong, but if not, this junction is the lynch pin," her screen showed a power-relay in the basement of the building. "But it's a massive system. Disabling it would take too long, and just blowing it up might… well I'm not sure whoever did it would survive."

Zero had heard her anyway, "Where is it?"

Alia generated a hologram floating for Zero from her pad. "Level B16."

"Zero!" was all X said before he bolted, a fire-gout flash melting through the door to let him through.

Alia twisted, her eyes wide at his departure. "X…?"

Zero growled, and ran back to the central console. "We have a chance to salvage this, but be ready, people! I want every system ready to cut! GO, GO, GO! My signal!"

Dozens of Hunters shout through the glowing hole X had made, scattering through the building as other techies relayed instructions to them. Some of the techs still in the room were already prying open other maintenance panels, tugging the wires taught, braced.

Alia focused back on her datapad, swallowing. The idea of X dying because of this after everything he'd done… Not just for her, but for everyone. She quickly tapped in more commands, and then touched her audio-receptor ring. "X, can you hear me?"

"Yes, Alia," he replied instantly, clearly focused on blitzing through the building as fast he could.

"On your left, ahead five meters. Blow the wall, and drop down the ventilation shaft. It'll take you down to B4 in one shot."

Skidding to a halt, X faced the wall, and shock-blasted it. "Got it!"

As he leapt through, and let himself freefall down, Alia breathed tightly. _Don't die, X…_

[In the Halls]

Forced to use his mapping system to clearly navigate in the flickering or lightless tunnels and shafts, X wasted no time. After his free-fall and crash-landing at the bottom of the first shaft Alia directed him to, he dashed along, and crashed out into a real hallway.

"Stairwell ahead, 8 meters," Alia's voice continued at his ear.

Even in such a tense moment, rushing for the lives of everyone in the building, X felt a strange comfort as she spoke to him. It wasn't just having solid support from a comrade, either. He wasn't sure, but he liked it.

Flipping down hand-rails to drop down the stairs faster, he reached the next lower level, and kept moving. Alia continued giving him quick, focused directions.

At last, he fire-melted another blast-door, and stepped through into a large, but singular chamber.

Along the left wall was a massive pipe, leading into holes in the two walls it was touching. It was nearly as wide as X was tall.

"Is this it?" X confirmed, his eyes already finding a console across the way.

"Yes, sir. That console should allow you to hard-cut the primary line. It's not on the network to maintain security, but the wiring is too physically thick to cut with practical means."

X nodded his private agreement, and was at the console instantly. He tried a few commands, grimacing. "…Alia, the console is totally down. It's only barely registering commands."

"Oh for… the auxiliary systems were hit first, of course. I'm such an idiot! Get out of that room, X, it's basically ground zero. I'll let Commander Zero know we have to cut the lines right away!"

X clamped his jaw. "Alia, wait."

"What?"

His eyes focused sidelong on the thick pipe. There was space all around it, but it was so big. "How much time do we have?"

"Barely a minute, X, I can't wait!"

"It'll only take 15 seconds to cut the lines with Zero's deployment. Give me 40 seconds."

In the control center, Alia's expression creased as she touched her audio receptor. "…40 seconds to do what?" Then her eyes widened and dilated. "X! NO!"

"…Sorry, Alia. We need headquarters."

Her hand clamped to her ear. "X! STOP!"

In the power-chamber, X got under the pipe, and pressed his back and hands up into it. Grimacing, he started to strain vertically, growling through gritted teeth. His leg servos were already starting to whine and hiss in protest.

[In the Commander Center]

In the command center, Alia shot over to Zero. "Commander! X is trying to tear the power-line out manually! We'll never pull it off in time!"

Zero's eyes sharpened. "Did he give any message?"

Alia paled. "…Give him 40 seconds."

Zero pointed to another tech, "Rix, 35 seconds and counting. Cut everything at the zero mark. Do you understand?"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

Zero then tapped Alia's shoulder just as he started to dash toward the burned exit. "Let's go!"

Alia dashed after him instantly.

[The Power Junction]

X growled. It was working, but too slowly. The pipe was creasing and bending upward, sparks starting to lance out across the wall and tickling his plating.

His systems were revving in protest, clearly being pushed beyond their intended functional range. He knew Dr. Light never built him for raw, heavy lifting, but he had more power in his frame than normal for his size. He hoped it was enough.

Precious seconds slipped away, and X realized the pipe wasn't moving any further. Grimacing in a rather frightening manner with his exertion, his eyes looked up past the brow of his helmet.

The human woman bleeding to death in his arms flashed back through his mind. His imagination betrayed him with flashing images of Zero burnt and torn apart on the commander-center floor. Then another series, this time Alia, piping from an exploded wall lodged straight through her power core where she'd been crouched, helping him.

Energy started to bleed over X's eyes, and his hands dug their fingers into the plating of the pipe. "_No more_," he strangled out, his legs cracking the ground as they straightened with slow, but relentless force.

His frame was buckling, but the pipe was, too. Trembling from exerted or snapping internal servos, X finally let out a bestial roar as he overrode his protection systems with his emotional coding.

[The Hall]

Zero touched his audio-receptor as he dashed down the hall toward the power-core with Alia. "What is it!"

Rix's voice came through urgently, "5 seconds to mark, sir!"

"Damn it, X!" Zero hissed.

Alia firmed despite fear in her eyes, and sped up with Zero, rushing for the melted door leading into the ominously flickering light of the power-core.

[The Power Junction]

The surge was closing in, X could feel it humming along the lines, but he didn't give up. The pipe was giving. It just needed more…

X gave a final surge of his scream just as Zero and Alia burst into the room, and the surge hit.

The pipe tore free of the far wall as X's body snapped upright, energy surging across the initially small gap between the pipe and wall.

Zero twisted and slammed Alia down to the ground with himself as the room exploded with energy, completely swallowing X and the back half of the room.

[The Control Center]

Rix leaned heavily onto his console in the command-center, his orange-white frame tense. "…Did it work?"

Another tech leaned up, giving a thumbs up, but remaining serious with everyone else.

"So we saved the base… Commander Zero, please tell me you copy?"

[The Power Junction]

Zero started to stand up, Alia taking his offered hand to rise as well. Touching his audio-receptor, Zero replied, "We read you, Rix. Did it work?"

"Yes, sir. The surge died at that room."

Zero turned as Alia ran around him to the scorched area around the pipe. Grim himself, Zero only walked over slowly.

"…And Hunter X, sir?" Rix asked quietly.

"…Checking," Zero whispered back.

Alia eyes were watering as she found his body. Blackened and lying face down in the under-structures of the pipe, X looked anything but alive.

Crouching down, afraid of what was in front of her, Alia gently reached out, touching his back. "…X? Please answer me…"

His right hand slowly flexed the fingers, and he started to turn his head. Alia nearly melted with relief, and quickly angled down to try and help him up.

X's face was scratched and burnt in a few places, but other than looking incredibly tired, his eyes were looking up into hers with clear focus. "…Sorry to scare you," he whispered.

Alia laughed a sob. "You crazy Reploid!"

Zero was smiling as well, and quietly sent the all-clear to the command-center. Finally the others started to relax, some even cheered.

A bit more serious, X said, still whispering, "My power system is… strained."

"Med-bay is the next stop, don't worry," Alia said back softly, and then reached down, picking X up off the ground in a smooth, careful manner.

Zero raised an eyebrow. "I can carry him, Alia…"

She shook her head. "I owe him one. Lead the way, sir."

Smiling again, Zero nodded, and did exactly that.

[A bit later…]

X's eyes opened, and he breathed fresh air into his respirator. He could feel the repaired internal systems, but his titanium-alloy skin felt a little… rough.

"You're awake!"

X started to sit up, smiling at Alia, who had just spoken. Zero was further away, near the doorway, but seemed no less surprised. "Sorry to worry you. Great work, Alia. We wouldn't have saved most of the systems in time without you."

Alia was a bit lost, her hands up, but limp on either side of her. "Y-you're… really okay? It's barely been two hours, X—I-I mean, sir!"

X kept his smile, and swung his legs out, starting to stand up. He was cleaned up, but there were still small dents and scratches in parts of his frame. With Dr. Light's designs, he knew that meant anyone else would be in pieces. "Thanks to my design, yes. No real skill required when you're built by a genius, right?" he tried to laugh it off, rubbing the back of his helmet.

Zero dryly answered, "That was a hell of a stunt you pulled off, X. A bit much of a risk, don't you think?"

Trying to stay light, X shrugged, and offered, "Occupational hazard, right?"

Alia let herself relax, since he clearly was fine, and backed aside to let the superior Hunters talk. She didn't want to interrupt enough to excuse herself just yet, but she was looking for a chance to.

Zero sighed, but had a bit of humor in it, and eased off the wall, uncrossing his arms. "I suppose so. Feeling ready for more then?"

X only then turned serious. "Of course. Do we have any information on where that attack actually came from?"

Zero looked to Alia, who perked up, and pulled her datapad out again.

"Yes, sir," she began, turning it toward X, who looked at it intently. "Our scans while you were resting confirmed it came from a power-routing hub not too far from headquarters. The complexity and severity of the overload process required for the attack leads us to assume Spark Mandrill himself launched the attack. Scouting reports, if accurate, also indicate the Maverick forces have not yet left the facility."

X straightened, absently rubbing his forearm with the other hand. "Well done. Any ideas on how they would rig a power-hub to generate a surge of that severity?"

Zero remained looking at Alia as well, and she explained.

"Actually, that was part of our confusion. The hardware of the facility couldn't create that kind of attack. An overload, short some breakers, sure, but not a system-massacring shock-wave like what tried to hit us."

Alia adjusted some controls on her pad, and faced it toward X again. "Take a look."

He did so, nodding slowly. "Far too powerful, yes. So what do we suspect?"

Alia smiled a bit, tapping her temple, "A weapon system designed specifically to use power-routing. We know Spark Mandrill was a weapons development specialist, he was just unique in that he used them as much as he designed them. With his predilection to electrical systems, this kind of siege-attack screams his MO."

X raised his eyebrows. "Of course, I should've thought of that." He glanced down to the side, grave and thoughtful. _That would explain how quiet he's been. Sigma's R&D. The only real restraint on those labs is their power generation, so having Spark seize the power facilities was almost default._ "…Yes, that fits very well."

Alia and Zero both watched him curiously, but Alia voiced it. "What's on your mind, sir?"

X blinked up at her, glancing to Zero to notice he was also quite attentive. "It's just that it really does make sense. Sigma's weapons development, basically. All they would need is enough power considering the other resources they already controlled. It's probably why Spark has been so quiet."

Zero nodded. "Precisely. He's now made himself the priority target."

Alia held her pad to her front, waiting as the commander slipped into his professional capacity.

X remained serious as he looked to Zero. "Permission to handle this, Commander?"

Zero rather dryly asked, "Could I stop you?"

"Only if you killed me," X delivered the rather morbid line with nonsensical humor in his voice.

Zero rolled his eyes, despite Alia's obvious horror at the choice of phrase, and waved over his shoulder. "Just go. We'll get organized here. Alia, get to your post and stay in contact with X. You're his operator for this mission."

X smiled at her, and she grinned back before both of them ran out of the med-bay, splitting at the hall.

Zero sighed, turning serious again as he looked down at the bed X had been using. The memory of the surge that engulfed his friend snapped through his mind. _Any other Reploid would be dead. X himself would've been not a week ago. Is this Dr. Light's legacy? What could actually take him down at this rate?_ His eyes tightened with dark thoughts. "…No wonder you were so worried, Dr. Light…"

[Later…]

_Yeah, he's waiting for me,_ X realized with grim focus in his eyes as he huddled down against a grating in the ventilation shaft he'd used to infiltrate the power-hub.

In his private comm, Alia's voice carried through without exposing his position, "No defenses yet?" She'd realized the same thing.

Without speaking, X generated his responses through the same internal comm. "None. That attack on headquarters is looking more and more like bait."

"We can abort, re-analyze the data?"

He physically shook his head, but since she had no way of seeing that, he replied, "No, this has to be resolved. We'll never have a better chance of neutralizing Spark Mandrill. Especially with how careful he's being."

"Yes, sir. If he was going to launch that attack, it makes the most sense for him and his resources to be concentrated in the basement levels. The utility tunnels."

X sent a confirming double-click back, and opened the vent, dropping down with surprising silence for his metal body.

The hall was dark, as was the chamber beyond. The power-hub was a public building, and the floor level represented a business center as much as a power station. It only looked so ominous now thanks to all the power being off.

X hurried across the expansive chamber, still hiding behind a few potted plants and benches just to be sure he was staying aware of his surroundings.

He reached the far side without issue, which only made him paranoid. In an alcove at the far wall, he found elevator access and stairwells. He didn't waste time with the elevators, and carefully examined the stairwell door.

"I'm sending you a grid-map of the basement levels. Keep in mind, he may have modified this station's structure somehow," Alia informed him on the internal comm.

His view accepted the data as a map in the corner of his vision, and he finally eased through the doorway after his safety check. "Thanks, Alia. I'm descending. Send a click my way every thirty seconds, that way I'll know if we lose signal."

"Will do, sir."

"And sorry, I know I should be saying 'lieutenant'."

She sent a light giggle back, but nothing more.

X let himself smile a bit, and then focused anew, beginning his descent. For the moment, he remained careful and quiet. Alia's clicks continued without issue.

At the bottom of the stairwell, a security door waited, but the pad console was inactive.

X touched the handle, and his brow flattened when the door simply creaked open.

"_Come into my parlor," hm?_ He mused, and eased through the opening.

The structures were different in the basement. The flooring and walls were a sturdy, bronze-colored metal, piping filling the ceiling above him.

After easing out into the hall, X started to move off to his left, following his map with a holographic overlay ahead of him.

The hall ended at a large chamber, with more halls leading off in every direction.

"This is the main junction. There are a few potential paths, this one is the most direct," Alia explained, a particular series of halls and maintenance ladders highlighting to X's vision, terminating in a large, flashing chamber.

"Sounds good. I'll use it."

The moment X's foot actually clicked past the threshold of the hallway, however, his audio receptors caught the problem.

Revving engines and power-cores surging to life.

"Trap's sprung!" he said aloud, and burst along the flooring at full speed, leaned down into his left leg dash.

Assault walkers were marching out of several hallways, already firing off bolts of energy and guided missiles like arcing streamers. Mono-wheel bots with war-mask front and spiked arms were revving out of other halls, surging toward X from all sides.

X kept speeding along, his buster snapping into ready form as energy started to dance over his body. The hall he needed was blocked by one of the assault walkers.

With missiles exploding in his wake, energy blasts scattering over the flooring around him, and racer-bots closing in, X aimed forward, firing a fully charged plasma wave. The pulse-wave blew three racer-bots at his feet away in pieces, and the assault walker's surviving slivers of structure simply collapsed to either side around the vaporized hole that had been their central body.

X leapt over the wrecked, and landed dashing. Racer-bots shot after him, the assault walkers starting to pursue, but far too slow to actually pose a threat with how far ahead X had blitzed.

"The flooring is out!" Alia warned sharply.

X saw it, his map adapting based on sonic echoes as he fired plasma bolts back at the racer-bots in his wake. "I call it a short-cut!" he replied with a bit of humor, and simply dropped down.

X crashed to his haunches, and looked up, watching the racer-bots fall and shatter against the far side of the hole. He dashed to one side to let their parts rain down.

A strange sound hummed behind X, and he started to twist and dodge, but it was too fast.

Something slammed into his left shoulder, leaving a streaked trail of blinding light, and he was spun around like a top before he fell flat from the stunning blow.

"Are you alright!" Alia asked in controlled panic.

X growled, planting his hands down to push himself up. "Just a bit dented. That thing was damn fast."

The hum again.

This time X snapped his buster backwards, his eyes sharpening to slits, and he fired.

Something exploded around his pulse-blast, and he watched wreckage scratch and scatter along, stopping at his feet.

A chorus of hums sounded this time.

X's eyes flared, and he slammed flat. A crisscrossing network of burning light formed over him, and faded gently as the zipping streakers started to angle around for another pass.

Now more aware of what he was dealing with, X started to dash along his path, his arm snapping out to fire singular blasts.

The streakers started to diminish in numbers quite rapidly after that. One or two still shot past him, X able to dodge now that he knew what they were, but more of the little flyer bots simply rained down as semi-molten junk.

X finally shot around a corner, and another streaker can flying straight for him from further ahead. This time, X hopped, snap-kicking his armored boot straight into the thing. It shattered on impact, the pieces still glowing as they rained past his firm expression on either side.

Landing lightly, X dashed ahead.

Just down another length of hall, he skidded to a halt, facing a large, circular door with an orb-lock in the center.

"That should be it, but my records don't show a seal-vault lock on that area before," Alia warned quietly.

X double clicked his response, and moved forward. He started to reach out to the lock, intending to start deciphering the code, but as soon as his fingers touched the orb, it whirled in place vertically, froze, and the door split open into the floor and ceiling.

X was left staring at the open chamber beyond, which was pitch black.

"…Sir, please be careful. If it opened that easily, it may well be designed to seal you inside."

"Good point," X agreed, and his colors snapped to an orange over-tone. His buster shifted, igniting a pilot-light, and then he torch-blasted the opening's entire perimeter. The chamber beyond seemed empty under the flickering firelight.

Reverting his weapon mode and colors, X started into the chamber. The door did try to shut, but it jammed instantly, and the hydraulics inside the wall gave strangled grinding sounds before simply breaking loose with rather deafening bangs inside the armored bulkheads.

"Clever, X. I've been watching you for a while now." It was the smooth, deep voice of Spark Mandrill himself.

The chamber echoed horribly, X couldn't pinpoint the voice. It also sounded filtered. "…You're not in here."

"No. See, while I would much prefer to rip your core out with my bare hands, your successes has proven I can't risk a defeat just for the sake of my preferences. You've come too far to blow you off as a fluke. Rather violent about it, though. That surprises me."

"Your joining with Sigma in this insanity is what surprises me. You never had a cross word to say about humans before this rebellion. Now you're fine with killing them all? It doesn't add up, Spark!"

"So naïve, X. Just because I never said anything, doesn't mean I didn't feel it."

X clenched his fists. "No, Spark, I know that's a lie. This isn't you. Part of you remembers that, too. Part of you tortured by what's going on."

Alia's eyes tightened down at her console as she listened.

Spark's laugh echoed through the room. "Keep on dreaming, kid. It's cute. Oh, by the way. I didn't really think you'd catch the door, but I couldn't bet everything on one lock, now, could I?"

X's eyes flared, and he twisted, watching an energy shield flash over the doorway he'd just used.

And then the lights blazed on in the room, nearly blinding him from the shock of the change.

Shielding his eyes, X was looking up, and widened them again as he saw as massive, dark, sphere of water floating over him. Something was inside it, humming with tremendous power.

"Just one of my experiments. Was going to be a gift for my friend Launch Octopus, but it wasn't his style. Sigma loved it, though. Consider it a gift from him." Spark ominously chuckled. "Play nice."

Two massive optics flashed to life inside the sphere, staring coldly down at the tiny Reploid. X felt the air rush as it started to move, and he burst to one side, tumbling into the wall with a sharp bang as the entire sphere crashed down where he'd been standing, shaking the entire room.

The thing inside the water was roughly spherical as well, but it had mechanical tendrils reaching out, and moving through the water.

The next instant, globules of water flew out, scattering across the room.

X dashed forward, along the wall, but a globule hit his leg. X gave a shout as he was slammed flat, held fast by the goop. It wasn't just water, but… _It's magnetically charged water, of course! Electrical currents in the water, then magnetic fields applied. That means I have to disrupt the volume to weaken the hold. If I can do that to the bubble-bot itself, it might magnetically tear itself apart as well._

X looked up to see the bubble-bot surging toward him, it's containing bubble stretching in its wake.

Out of time, X reacted on instinct. His gained purple highlights, his buster expanding into a turbine, and he fired a tornado-blast instantly.

The puddle at his feet was scattered apart, and the bot itself was rammed back to the far wall with a groan of energy and machinery.

X fired another tornado, but the bubble-bot surged into the ceiling, letting the wind dent the wall violently.

X was already charging energy over his body however, and dashed between fresh globules the bubble-bot tried to rain down him.

It was bracing, ready to rush down and crush him. X slowed enough to make it drop, and as it started to fall, he unleashed.

A storming cyclone of power erupting around him from his charged turbine blast.

The bubble around the machine was torn apart, and the machine's unique charging engines scattered sparking waves of energy over the entire structure the next instant, the tornado hefting the thing up, keeping it off X.

At last, it started to crack and burst, exploding in shivering waves.

X dashed out from under it, his colors reverting, and spun around, skidding back, to watch the wreckage crash down as a sparking mess.

Standing up, X touched his audio receptor. "Alia, any idea where Spark might be? Or is he long gone?"

"I'm reviewing the other data already. One moment."

X nodded, but started out of the room, running down the hall normally until he could get to the first junction.

"There's still a lot going on down in the last level, sir. I have to warn you, though, these power readings are dangerous. Something is either overloading down there, or he's got something big ready."

X sighed. "Always something, right? Path?"

Alia had to smile a bit. "Sending my suggested route to you now."

[Deeper in the Dark]

Another ventilation grate dropped open, and X rushed down, crashing to his haunches in the darkness. His brow creased, his optics going into low-light rendering. His holographic overlay showed he was in a hallway, but he flashed on his helmet-gem-light, and saw that the walls had been removed. It was done cleanly, but their foundations were just visible.

Disabling the overlay to avoid confusing himself, X panned his light around, his buster ready.

"This level of remodeling would take weeks at best, assuming full crews round the clock," Alia said in the internal comm.

_This feels like a coliseum,_ X realized, remaining grim. "No kidding," he replied without moving his mouth.

Lights flashed in the gloom, and X spun around, his helmet light going off to avoid giving himself away any further.

He knew it was Spark immediately. Two of the lights were glowing, narrowed optics. The rest seemed to be ringed around large, hefty shoulders, and cuffed around massive gauntlets.

It was clear Spark was close to Flame Mammoth's size, only a little smaller.

"Welcome, X. I've been waiting for you."

"I'm sure. Stand down, Spark. This doesn't have to end in violence."

"Oh… but it does, X."

X's eyes flared as the lights streaked. He knew Spark was behind him, but the speed was insane. X twisted, but grunted as something large slammed into him, sending him flying back.

Energy was sparking and writhing off of Mandrill's body, revealing his full frame in jittering webs of light.

Using his internal comm as he picked himself up, X said, "Alia, he has energy surging over his entire body. That's not in his listed functions in his profile."

"That kind of overload should reduce him to a blithering scrapheap. Let me check into some data, I'll be as fast as I can!"

X started to charge energy himself. "I see you've learned a few new tricks."

Spark's smile flickered with the light. He streaked again.

X ducked, and dove forward, hearing the swipe that might've sheared his head clean off.

"Speed and POWER!" Spark Mandrill roared, suddenly jerking down, and ramming his right fist into the flooring.

X's eyes widened as a shock-wave of electric power ripped out in every direction from the Maverick.

Rolling onto his feet properly, X braced, and leapt up, barely dodging the shock-wave. He aimed and fired a full blast, the back-blast flashing in his wake, but Spark flickered out of the path.

X was already twisting, firing toward what was previously behind him, and saw a few bolts bounce off of Spark's body. X blocked the incoming punch with his foot, but cried out as power jolted over his frame, and a final burst sent him flying back, skidding along the floor.

"Not bad, eh?" Spark began, rubbing his knuckles off of each other, leaving waves of sparks and energy. "A combined system of defense and offense in the same functionality. I'm rather proud of it myself."

X growled with effort, pushing himself up. His right leg was giving him heat warnings. "…Alia," he called internally again, "his heat signature is through the roof."

"It is? Thank you, X, that helps focus my data. Based on some of his old research, I think he's made a prototype of his theoretical weapon system. He shelved it while working for the Hunters because it was too destructive despite its potential."

X was charging energy again, sorrow finding his eyes despite his focus.

"The flaw he was trying to resolve was how drastically it overheated the user's systems. Flash-boiled the coolant fluids in his test bot."

X dashed to his right to avoid ripping electrical spheres that Mandrill was firing along the ground from his passing fists with sweeping gestures. "So he made a superior coolant system that wouldn't overload?"

"Specifically, I think he's replaced most of his structural configuration with a different type of alloy. It can super-heat without melting. However, the only material with that kind of functionality we know of would become incredibly brittle at normal, cooler temperatures. Now his overall heat would just melt or flash-burn anything normal, you'd need something—?"

"Incredibly cold, and fast-acting," X finished for her.

Alia blinked at her console. "What do you have?"

X's body flashed blue-white in paler hues than normal as he twist-flipped over another shock-bolt. His buster lengthened slightly, venting mist as he landed. "Chill Penguin's ice-blaster."

Alia's face lit up, and she smiled at the screen. _He's got 'im._

Spark fired off another volley of blasts, and then slammed his fist down to send a wave after them.

X dashed toward him, and then dashed into a flip-jump that sent him flying over the attacks, hurtling toward the energy-writhing Maverick.

Spark laughed, and flickered.

X knew he wouldn't go straight behind again after the last catch, so X took a gamble, and fired to his right as his left leg shot out to the other side.

A rippling chunk of ice and cryogenic energy shocked the air, but Spark hit X's foot on the opposite side, sending X flipping off again. This time, X's power-systems adapted faster, and actually soaked up some of the power.

X landed, touching his chest with his normal hand, his eyes wider. _It adapted that fast? …Wow, Dr. Light._

"Not bad!" Spark roared, already on top of the Reploid, fists up and rushing down.

X snapped up, and blocked with his left arm.

Mandrill slammed down, and his glowing optics widened as he watched X dent the ground at his feet, but hold firm, power lashing around their colliding limbs.

"Spark, you look a little flushed. Maybe you just need to cool off!" X said with a sharp edge in his eyes, and aimed his bluster point-blank at Spark's chest, firing once.

X was shocked at the severity of the effect, stumbling back as Spark's shout was even cut off, his entire body freezing over in a shell of ice almost instantly.

Growling through the shell, Spark's superior raw power let him shatter free, and energy surged back over his body. "You little scrap-bot! I'll tear your core out for that!" He was snarling as he started to dive forward.

_He's practically a berserker!_ X realized, leaping back, and firing again.

Spark froze again, shivering. This time cracks sheared along his flanks and left leg.

With a murderous roar, Mandrill broke free, thrashing to either side, and then let power surge over him again as he straightened himself up, arms out, fists clenched, eyes burning down at X.

The lights of the room were weakly flickering on as well.

X's eyes flashed with understanding. "You're draining the power from the entire facility!" His eyes locked on Spark's feet, crackles of power connecting the footpads to the ground between each step.

"You're not going to live long enough for that to help you!" Mandrill snarled, barely forming the words, and lunged with a fresh storm of power over his body.

X firmed, aimed, and fired three times.

The shots were calm, focused, and evenly spaced. The first one froze Spark in place, his optics stuck wide, the second froze the chest plate enough to shatter it open, and the third hit the internal systems directly.

The power of the facility rushed back to life, the massive chamber filling with light as Mandrill's lights flickered out, and he crashed down to his knees from his own weight breaking the shell. Parts of his insides simply fell out and shattered, and he crashed down to all-fours at last.

X cringed, his arm reforming, and his colors reverting. "…Even filled with anger, why not stand down rather than avoid this?"

Spark slowly looked up, more of his systems falling out of his chest. His left leg actually just fell off at the hip. The last shot did more damage than X had realized initially. Spark showed a fiendish smile. "You underestimate our hate, boy. And that… will be… your… undoing…"

The Maverick crashed flat, and his body simply fell apart.

X touched his audio receptor, the light in it shutting off, and he knelt down at Spark's body immediately.

It was horribly easy to just break off the guarding components, and X took all the more care in removing the pieces he needed, including the buffer again.

Looking at them in his hands, X winced. "Even these are frozen over. I nearly killed you without realizing it…"

The image of that woman dying in his arm was too potent in that moment, and tears dripped down his face silently.

"X? X, I lost your signal! Can you hear me!" Alia's voice was filled with worry.

X turned his audio receptor back on. "Sorry, Alia. I think my system shorted for a second. I'm fine."

"…You don't sound it, are you alright?"

He smiled gently. "…That's very kind of you, lieutenant, but yes, I'm alright. Spark Mandrill is down," he began again seriously. "Let Commander Zero know we can resume operations as planned."

"Already done. That was amazing work, sir."

X looked down at Spark's ruined body. Not sending it over the comm, he asked privately, "Was it?" For Alia, he replied, "Thank you. I'll get myself to the repair chamber, and report back soon."

"I can teleport you, sir, if you want?"

"No, no. It's fine. I need the walk. Fresh air."

"…Of course. Just be safe, sir."

He smiled again, but sadly. "Thank you, Alia. X out."

[Later…]

At his hideout, X worked quietly this time. The three consoles for Storm Eagle, Chill Penguin, and Flame Mammoth were inactive. Two buffers were hooked into the stand-alone system, and X was re-wiring the console where Storm Eagle had spoken.

Booting it up, he waited.

An holo-image of Spark's face appeared, the eyes sunken with some deep weight.

"…You saved my core components," Spark said quietly.

X nodded. "How do you feel?"

"Murder, terrorism, war. How do you think? Oh… yes, don't forget becoming the thing you swore to wipe off the planet."

X looked down, his jaw set. "I confirmed with your system buffer. It's a virus, Spark. You're the confirmation of what we knew."

"A virus…? And who knew?"

X finally smiled, looking up at his companion. "I'd like to answer all of your questions, Spark, don't worry. Let me tell you about the X-Hunters…

[Maverick Hunter Headquarters]

A solid week later, Zero was stepping out of the repair cell, exhaling as he stretched his neck servos. "A lot of wasted time."

"I wouldn't say that," X said, smiling from the doorway, leaning against it with a shoulder. "You single-handedly forced Launch Octopus' armada to retreat from West City, Zero. And thanks to that, we could devote our forces to pushing the lines harder. Even Sting Chameleon is pinned down in a tight area now."

Zero rubbed a wrist, eyeing his friend. "And you were busy off on your little project most of the week. Lose that gung-ho hunting instinct we were seeing?"

X shook his head, turning serious. "With Sigma's forces pinned down, I could afford to spend some time on my research for once. Or were the reports inaccurate? Are there still civilians involved?"

Zero shook his head, his golden ponytail waving. "No, just logistical pains now. You got most of the civilians out of this mess yourself, X. Still… Launch got away."

"The techs tracked him. Alia's spear-heading the information gathering for the area we're sure he's bunkered down in underwater. We'll be ready to move on him again very soon, Zero, don't worry."

"So what'd I miss sleeping on the job, eh?" Zero began afresh wryly, walking out into the hall with X.

"Some good news for a change, actually," X answered with a sincerely warm smile. "We have new recruits! Very promising, I think. Excelled in their practical exams for the Hunters."

Zero ran a hand down his face. "I need to go shake hands, huh?"

X grinned, slapping Zero's back. "That's right! You're the boss, after all!"

"Save me?"

It was said so dryly, X had to cover his mouth with his laugh. "Sorry, sir. I have to report to the mining facility." More serious, he explained, "We've got good Reploids pinned to their positions thanks to a new counter-siege from Armor Armadillo's bots. I want to make sure we don't lose anymore friends today."

Zero sighed. "Fair enough. You have the data you need for it?"

"I do. And Zero?"

"Yeah?"

"Off the books, trust these recruits. They have what we need."

Zero watched X pat his shoulder, and then run off. A bit puzzled, Zero thought for a moment. _He's gotten oddly cooperative since Spark Mandrill… Well, we're also working with his ideas more than bossing him around now, too. Alright, X, let's see these kids you approve of so much._

[The Lobby]

It didn't take long for Zero to reach the lobby area, where the new recruits were waiting. As soon as he entered, all four of them stood to attention.

"Commander Zero, sir!" they chorused.

Zero stood straight, saluted, and let them fall into at-ease positions.

It was a varied group. The first was tall and power, but not bulky, his frame dark blue and red with fins rising off the sides of his helmet.

Beside him stood a massive Reploid, wide and powerful, colored black and dark gold, with a fully armored face except for the large eyes, which were quite pleasantly smiling.

Next was a thin and short Reploid, colored in pale gray, white, and frost blue, with a sharp, narrow face around his cold but intelligent optics.

And last was another strongly built Reploid, like the first, but colored in dark brown with dark purple highlights along his flanks and limbs. He had a silver and white face with blue optics. He smiled calmly when he met Zero's eyes.

"You four seem to be promising. You've impressed some good people, apparently. Introduce yourselves."

The first straightened again, "Airstrike, sir. Piloting and ballistics."

The giant added, "Inferno, sir. Siege warfare and heavy weapons."

The pale small one said, "Deepfreeze, sir. Espionage and reconnaissance."

And the last said, "Overload, sir. Front-line combat and weapons technician."

Zero raised his eyebrows. "Impressive." He accessed their records remotely. Their practical exams from two days ago were off the charts in their respective fields. "…You're all well-versed in your fields. Rather surprisingly so, I'll admit. Why didn't you join before now?"

"Sigma changed everything, sir," Airstrike answered with grim focus in his eyes.

Zero nodded slowly. _I can't shake it. Something is creeping me out about these four. Like I know them, but I don't._

"That true for all of you?" he asked.

Inferno, Deepfreeze, and Overload all nodded in their own ways.

"We've lost friends, family. It's time to end this," Deepfreeze rasped.

Zero tipped his head. "I've heard enough. Report to the command center with me, boys. We'll get you settled into your new squads."

They all saluted again.

[Outside]

A short time later that day, Deepfreeze was standing out on one of the many balconies of the massive Hunter building.

The others joined him quietly over the next few minutes. Inferno sat on a bench, resting on his knees. Airstrike planted a boot on the railing, leaning out, and Overload leaned back against it on Deepfreeze's other side.

"More tightly organized now. Looks like they learned a few lessons from us after all," Overload began.

Inferno grunted an affirmation.

Deepfreeze spoke next, "But this is only the beginning. The real job is still ahead of us. I fear this confrontation with Sigma may only be the start of the real war."

Airstrike sighed, and added, "Quite possible, but we're in it for the long hall."

Inferno spoke next. "At last, the X-Hunters are set to help. You think X will be successful with Armadillo?"

Airstrike smirked, leaning back, his foot coming down at last. "Yes, I do. He's got a hard enough head even for that psycho."

All four chuckled.

[Author's Note]

This chapter sets up some very important and unique elements to my take on the story, and I'm personally pleased with how it has turned out. The dynamic between Alia, Zero, and X I felt worked well, so I hope it does so for all of you, too.

This chapter is longer than usual, but that's because I don't try to hit a target length, I try to hit target plot-goals. Achieving those in this case required 16 pages (double spaced), so thanks for sticking out the full length to read this note!

Again, I wanted to do something different with the Maverick element than just 'go to base A and kill boss B'. I was also probably a little too proud of the unique elements I added to Mandrill's abilities and personality.

Getting *my* X-Hunters introduced as actual characters is a major stepping stone, as I mentioned above, so ending on that was very fun for me.

Thanks again for the reviews! I really appreciate them!


	8. Chapter 7: The Mine

Chapter 7: "The Mine"

A Maverick Hunter ducked down behind a boulder, touching his green audio receptor on his blue helmet. "Commander! We have visual confirmation of Armor Armadillo out in the field, but more bots keep pouring out of the mine! We can't advance, and honestly, we're in a serious danger of being pushed back!"

Zero's voice replied, "X is on the way, and I'll have full reinforcements routed to you ASAP, Shock. You have to hold that position, do you understand?"

Shock's shoulder-mounted cannon whirred and cocked itself, his buster-arm charging as he glanced around the edge of the boulder. "Understood, sir."

Shock was in the center of a now-defending line of Maverick Hunter forces. Clusters of his comrades were gathered at cover across the jagged terrain just outside the mine. The main mine entrance was an industrial gate the size of a hangar, with a small ocean of mining bots, grippers, and bat-bots swarming out of it.

Armor Armadillo stood at the center of the gateway. He was both petite for a battle-Reploid and heavily armored, with an almost turtle-shell like chunk of heavily armored silver titanium on his back and down his thick tail. The top of his head, his forearms, chest, lower abdomen, and calves were all heavily armored as well, the rest of his frame a dark purple with black and gold mixture of metallic alloys.

His eyes were cold and sharp, unmoving even as his arms snapped out in sharp gestures, deflecting plasma bolts and missile-fire with awe-inspiring skill.

The Maverick Hunter forces started to return fire in waves from either end of their formation, and the tide of bots was beaten back for a moment. It resurged, nearly reaching their line that very moment.

Shock fired away with his shoulder cannon and buster, then ducked down and planted his back to his cover as a hail of pick-axes and bolt-fire chattered against the boulder.

Catching movement, Shock focused up, and blinked as X dashed up. The white and blue Reploid skidded to a halt, crouching with Shock. "Sorry for the wait, Shock! I didn't realize it had gotten this bad out here!"

Shock shook his head. "Wasn't until about ten minutes ago. They just started pouring out like bugs from a hive, sir. We'll hold the line, but I don't know how much longer we can."

X nodded, his expression grave. Risking it, he peeked over the top of their cover, taking in the scene. His optics zoomed in on Armor Armadillo himself, and saw the alien haze of the infection in those sharp eyes.

Down in cover again, X started to charge more energy, his body shimmering. Shock stared.

"Wow, you really do build up energy like that? I thought it was just propaganda to give us a boost."

X smirked at him. "You can thank Dr. Light. I'm going to see if I can give you guys a breather, okay?"

"Alone, sir?"

"Dr. Light gave me the armor, too," X tried to offer lightly, and then dashed around Shock and their mutual cover.

With his buster arm swinging out, X aimed toward Armadillo as he reached full charge, and released.

The purple-blue plasma torrent ripped out like a dragon of raw power, the shockwave in X's wake blasting dust back over the Reploid line.

A line was erased through the bots toward the Maverick near the gate, but Armor Armadillo just looked toward X with the same cold optics.

X remembered as he charged. _Armor always mastered the environment and manipulated it for combat and industry equally. He had no fear of combat, but rarely engaged head to head of his own choice. This offensive strike and leading position don't fit him. Has he gone that far in the madness of the virus? Is he so aggressive as that?_

X's eyes flared, his dash slowing awkwardly as he saw Armor Armadillo suddenly change personalities.

The Maverick gawked, optics wide, and stumbled back, arms wide. "It's X! Retreat! Pull them into the mine!" he screamed in an electronically strained rush of what was only barely recognizable as his voice.

Armor back-flipped, whirled into a blurring spin, and blast-drilled into the ground at the gate as the bots started to pour back toward the mine.

X skidded to a halt completely, standing up. "…That's not right."

Shock looked around the boulder, grinning. "You did it, X! They're scared of you now! Hunters! Advance!"

X heard the sound of the dozens of Hunters starting to leave cover and charge forward, but his mind was whirring over what had just happened.

He remembered Chill Penguin, when still a Maverick, talking about terrifying Mavericks into surrender. The psychotic rage that made Spark lose his battle, too furious to stop and think. Yet Armor Armadillo was a steadfast Reploid, even as a Maverick. He'd held his position with grim determination.

This didn't…

X's eyes widened again, his body bursting as he twisted around, arms wide. "NO! STOP!"

The Hunters awkwardly halted, some skidding as he had.

And then the field exploded.

[Maverick Hunter HQ]

In the command center, Zero's eyes widened up at the view screen. Techs and off-mission Hunters were all frozen for a horrible moment. Alia was looking up from her desk, a hand at her ear, but her body limply stuck as she stared in horror.

The front area around the Mine was a cloud of flying rocks and debris, only just then starting to rain down to earth once more.

Zero suddenly slammed his hand down on the controls. "Shock! X! Report! …Anybody! Anyone down there, sound off!"

The room quaked when Shock's voice came over the comm, sputtering, "R-rough ride, sir… but we're okay. My teams are reporting in. Some damage, of course, but no fatalities."

Everyone sank, their respirators revving to catch up with the lost cooling time from all the held breath.

"And X?" Zero confirmed.

"Here, Zero," X's voice sounded next, but it was grim. It was the same voice Zero had heard from him when they confronted each other over Chill Penguin's base.

[At the Mine]

In the field, still mostly surrounded by a cloud of dust, X was looking toward the mine, some dents and scratches along his armor. The other Hunters were picking each other up, looking up at the massive channel dug into the ground by all the explosives used to try to kill them all in one shot.

Shock let his shoulder cannon whir around a bit, and walked up to X. "Thank you, sir. I was stupid, and it nearly got us all killed."

X shook his head. "I just had a gut feeling something was wrong, Shock. Armor Armadillo doesn't act like a coward." Finally looking back to the other Hunter, X continued, "I'm going in. Alone. Hold this position."

"No back-up, sir?"

"He's expecting a siege, Shock. I'm not sending you all into a metal-masher."

Shock saluted. "We'll hold this position no matter what comes out of that hole behind you, sir."

X saluted back. "My thanks." And then he dashed ahead, leaping clear over the massive gap, and vanishing into the gloom of the mine.

Another Reploid approached from behind Shock, her buster still humming with a charge on her left arm. "Aren't we helping him, sir?"

Shock shook his head. "No. We're holding this line so he doesn't have to save our lives twice today."

She shared a grim smile with him, and then ran back to her position.

[In the depths…]

Inside the gloom, X's optics were quickly adapting to the emergency lighting. Hewn rock held in place by powerful metal girders filled the area around him, continuing on as a single, massive hall.

He kept dashing, but caught the glint of metal ahead, and skidded to a halt at last.

Armor was standing there, optics frigid with focus except for the subtle raise of one optics-ridge.

"…Stand down, Armor Armadillo. This doesn't need to get any worse," X began firmly, standing up straight. He had specifically reverted his buster so he wasn't directly armed.

"Do you really think a Maverick is going to obey that command, X?"

X let his face fall into his battle focus once more. "No… but the offer must always be made. Sincere and complete."

Armor faintly smirked. "I've been looking forward to this. I was hoping you'd come for me yourself. When Sigma sent me to the mines, I feared I would be wasted on basic grunts and bots trying to crack into these natural fortresses. When I heard about your defeating Eagle, Flame, Chill, and Spark, I knew you were the real deal. Worthy of Zero himself, no doubt."

"…So your frustrated aggression finally gets a vent it can focus on for more than a few seconds, is that it?" X retorted, unable to hide the sorrow cracking into the edges of his firmed voice.

It caught the Maverick, he could tell. Armor's optics sharpened a bit, the smirk vanishing.

_Did that get through the buffer and virus enough to get the real Armor's attention? Recognizing the aggression as not his own?_ X wondered, but knew he couldn't trust it.

After a moment more, Armor spoke again. "So tell me, X. You've studied my file, no doubt. How do you see this fight playing out?"

"You'll rely on your armor and superior knowledge of the mine to keep me off balance, I imagine," X answered with a bit of a shrug.

Armor's fists clenched, and rotated his forearm plates forward. "Sounds good. That reminds me, however. How did you get around Spark's prototype armor?"

X's eyes tightened. "…Ice."

The smirk returned. "Beautiful. I warned him it was too glaring a weakness. That prototype had promise, but was far from complete."

X tipped his head up a bit. "You helped design it?"

Armor shook his head. "I'm no weapons tech, you know that. Just a strategist. Extreme weaknesses are just that. They leave you completely vulnerable to something. It's far better to blend your weaknesses, mitigate them. That way, even if one falters," he drew one foot back, his tail lifting, "you have another strength to bare."

X let his buster form finally. "I don't want to do this with violence, Armor. There is another way."

"A luxury you can't afford, X. So tell me one more thing," Armor began as casually as before, but suddenly blurred into the air, whirling his body violently until he became an ovoid mass of streaked color.

X braced, but gawked when the spinning body hit the ground, only to ricochet off as insane speed, ripping toward him.

X dove to the side, feeling the air yank past him from the ram-attack of Armor, but just as he was recovering, he saw the shield-drill hit the far wall, and bounce back even faster.

Firing two blasts, X watched them ping off the ripping mass without any sign of harm, and he started to dive to his right again, further down the hall.

Armor unrolled just before he reached X, and twisted around to bring his right arm down at the Hunter in a chopping gesture.

X grunted, arms up, and caught the blow between his forearms, the ground cracking under his boots.

"How do you intend to get around MY armor!" Armadillo demanded at last, a manic look on his face.

Growling a bit, X tried to shift one arm down so he could fire at Armor's more lightly protected stomach.

A sharp step-kick from the Maverick sent X flying back instead. He slammed his hands down to slow his skidding path, and looked down his front to see Armor sneering at him. X glanced to the side, and spotted a mining conveyor cart. It was a long, square platform hooked to the tracks.

"You're fast for all that heavy armor!" X called, flipping back onto his feet, buster snapping into configuration. "Shall we speed things up?"

"Please do!" Armor shouted back, and dove into a tight roll, whirring up and blasting off.

X flipped on the cart and shot the brake grip at the edge of the track. His cart shot forward, racing through the mine instantly.

Armor was catching up, but slowly. X was able to aim and fire off a few normal shots, confirming Armor was spinning fast enough to always have his full plate in the way. Indeed, the plasma bolts just pinged off, vaporizing dirt and rock in the ceiling and walls.

Unfortunately, Armor was also blasting off the walls faster and faster. He was accelerating beyond his previous speeds, catching up fast.

X powered up, energy bleeding off his armored frame, but he heard movement over the wind around him. He ducked, barely avoiding a pick-axe flying at his head.

Mining bots were on the walls, throwing their weapons at him from every angle. Armor hit the walls without heed for them, shattering dozens of them at his impact points as he ripped after the Hunter.

Forced to twist and almost flip around three more axes, X folded and twisted all the way, his back slamming to the surface of the mining cart as he aimed out at Armor. He fired.

Half the car warped and tore open from the plasma wash, his back-wave slowing his forward speed.

X's eyes widened as he watched Armor's whirling body tear out of the back of the plasma wave as if it were nothing more than a dust cloud.

Two more bolts pinged off the armor, and then Armadillo unraveled just over X, coming down with both fists.

"You can do better than THAT!"

X snap-rolled to the far edge of the cart, barely hanging onto it without rolling off, and watched Armor's body crash-slam into the center, bending and warping the already weakened metal violently. It turned the cart into a blossoming flower of warped metal, and threw X toward the Maverick in the center.

X fired again as he flew, Armor snapping his forearms up with sharp gestures to each blast, flinging them off as he twisted. X's boot hit the Maverick's armored back-shell instead of successfully kicking the face.

Armor continued his deft twist, and lashed out with his right arm, catching X's leg.

At the same time, X felt the weightlessness of open air, and glanced down. The cart itself has just sailed over a chasm.

"Poor timing, kid," Armadillo noted with a fresh smirk, and then wrenched X up, over, and down.

With the back of the car already torn apart, it effectively threw X down the edge of the cart, and into the chasm at high speed.

Flipping and rolling over himself, X tried to keep his body ready for a high-speed landing as he touched his audio receptor. "Hunter base, do you copy?"

"—arbled… -ear you!"

It was Alia's chopped up voice.

"If possible, I need specs for Armadillo's armor. Repeat, specs for Armadillo's armor."

And then the ground hit his feet like an angry, angry metal masher.

X actually cried out as he folded down instantly, his shoulder hitting his knees, and knocked himself flat with a sickened groan.

"-ignals very… ing," Alia's voice sputtered through to him.

X turned over slowly, pressing himself off the dirt with protesting whirs of his damaged servos. "I get the feeling… Dr. Light… would be grumpy…"

"Well he definitely would be after this!"

Armor's voice was everywhere, but X sprang up, buster ready and charging.

Powerful motors whirring sounded on either side of him, and he dashed away just as whirling grinders came swinging down out of the shadows, sheering up the rock that had been his landing point.

Tunnel diggers rolled out like tanks. They had caricatured heads for their fronts modeled after Armor's own face, with 'arms' reaching forward to hold the massive, spinning, spiked rollers.

X looked back as he dashed forward, firing a full plasma-wave at the one on his right side.

The digger was slowed and clearly damaged by the onslaught of volatile energy, but it kept rolling.

Charging more power, X's colors snapped to an orange hue as he focused forward, seeing a fresh tunnel ahead. "Let's see you tunnel through this!"

He fired back without looking, a churning ocean of fire erupting from his modified buster, washing back toward the twin tunnelers like a tsunami of light and death.

Their digging arms swung down into the flames without cease at first, but as the tank-like machines tried to grind forward, they began to slow rapidly. Their treads flash melted as armor popped open, sparks flying out of the gaps.

In just a few seconds more, they were reduced to heaps of molten slag, X skating off into the tunnel beyond.

[A bit later…]

X touched his comm. "Alia? Can you read me?"

He clambered over a rise in the tunnel floor, and dashed along further.

A burst of static came through, then something vaguely resembling a voice, and after a few repeats of this, he finally heard, "-olarized!" in an exasperated but worried tone from Alia.

X skidded to a halt. _…Polarized? Polarized metal. Of course, it's insanely durable, but also insanely… heavy. He's that fast with that kind of weight? No wonder he tore the cart to pieces in one strike. However,_ he lifted his buster, his eyes pensive, _that means I can give him a magnetic charge very easily. It would require a lot of power, but,_ his buster shifted composition, and his colors shifted to a brown-golden hue over his white armor, _I picked up a few tricks about that from Overload._

He tapped his comm. "Thanks, Alia. If you can hear this, I owe you again."

And he burst forward once more. "I bet you're waiting at the end of this hall, aren't you?" he quietly muttered to his adversary as he dashed forward.

After a moment more of his racing along, X saw the ground changed further ahead. With a quick estimation of his eyes, he leapt across the gap, noting the vicious spikes waiting for a careless fall to punish him.

Landing to his haunches on the far side of the spike-pit, X saw a new mining cart up on an raised ledge ahead of him, and a small group of bat-bots just fluttering down to rush toward him.

"Guess we're not done with the ride yet," X muttered, and ran forward normally.

Just as the bats were about to dive at him, X leapt, step-kicking the first with enough force to shatter it.

Flipping over himself from the inertia of his kick, X punched the next one, sending it flying off, dented.

Before he landed, the third and last bot barrel-rolled and tried to bite at his stomach. X continued to twist from his punch, and round-housed the bot, sending it to the wall in pieces.

With a tight landing, X ran for the ledge, leapt over its rim, and pushed off the car, getting it going. Braced on top of it, his eyes sharpened as he started down the tunnel at an even faster rate.

The cart's acceleration was too great. X ducked down, reverting his colors for the moment, and forming his normal buster cannon.

Pick-axes came flying out of the gloom in volleys. X flatted himself to the cart, dodging most of them, but he also had to roll sharply from side to side to avoid the falling axes that would skewer him by dumb luck.

One mining bot loomed up in front of his path, and X blinked. He watched the bot fly apart at the nose of the cart-platform, the axe that had been in his hand zipping past X's head from the speed of the car rather than from being thrown.

He tried to stand up, and instantly regretted it. The cart left the tracks almost the same moment. Weightless with the cart for a system-jarring moment, X saw the next set of track rushing up to meet them. "Oh, this is going to-!"

They slammed down, the force knocking him flat to the car with a clang even as the wind rushed past his audio-sensors. Coughing from his interrupted respirator, X groaned, and finished, "…hurt."

Pushing himself up, X saw that he was on another straight-path in a larger tunnel. His eyes tightened as he saw a bright light ahead, growing quickly.

In the same moment, he quickly downloaded a fresh map of the area, and aerial bots started to swarm up behind him. They looked almost like pale blue penguins shooting forward as torpedoes through the open tunnel in his wake.

His map zoomed forward, and showed a massive ravine just beyond the end of the track at the opening he saw. Across the chasm was the administration bunker for the mine.

With the cart's speed, he had a chance to make the gap, but barely, and those bird-bots were rushing closer and closer, their optics blinking more quickly as they did.

X aimed backward, firing a spray of plasma bolts into his wake as the cart rushed ahead.

The tunnel filled with explosions as the bots lost their direction or outright burst from his shots, their explosives igniting prematurely. More began to crash into each other, spreading the blast wider and wider, engulfing the whole flock.

The mine was shaking, the girders trembling all around him even as he shot past them.

"—ear me! There's a massive explosion building behind you!" Alia's voice finally burst into his audio-receptor again.

X touched his ear. "I'm the one that started it. Sorry to worry. Communications only just now returned. I believe Armor is in the administrative bunker. I'm en route." His expression firmed, and his arms aimed back, his legs bracing as the cart passed the threshold, ripping into the open air.

"How are you… Oh," Alia's voice managed meekly as her data finally caught up.

As a rare bit of good fortune, the rails bent upward like a ramp before the ravine. The cart was rocketed into the air, X ducking against it for a moment.

It reached the crescendo of its jump over the center of the massive drop, and started to fall.

X's eyes tightened. It would smash into the cliff-face below the ledge that served for the entrance to the final bunker.

With a dash and leap, he flew off the cart. It hit the cliff with explosive force, and X crossed his arms to help him rip through the cloud of rock and dust it kicked up into his path.

He tumbled and rolled, ending at a crouch in front of the sealed vault-door of the bunker, the lock-orb glowing softly at his face.

Standing up at last, X firmed, his colors changing to golden-yellow highlights again. "I'm at the bunker. We'll probably lose communication again inside, Alia. Anything else I missed?"

"No, sir. Just been trying to reach you. The forces holding at the main entrance haven't seen any other bots come out since you entered."

A faint smile joined his expression. "I'm glad to hear it, thank you. …I'm going in. I'll send word once I'm out."

"…Be careful, X."

His eyes closed as his smile warmed a bit. "I will. You, too."

She sent a double-click to confirm she heard him over the comm.

X reached out, preparing to crack the door's security, but the moment his hand touched the orb, it whirled through its unlock sequence, and the thick, hydraulic doors snapped open above and below.

"Well, I knew it was a trap already," he muttered to himself, and walked into the gloom once more.

[Inside]

A secondary vault door opened in the dim light, and X stepped down from it, into the rocky chamber it had protected. He saw signs of where equipment and consoles had been in patterns on the rock floor, but it was all cleared away. It was just a large, rocky cube in the heart of the cliffs.

And then Armor Armadillo landed heavily, cracking the ground on the other side of the room. "You really do adapt quickly."

"I'd hope Dr. Light would be pleased with his results."

Armor smirked faintly, but all emotion left his face just as fast. "Game's over."

X was starting to brace, but his eyes flared when Armor flickered with sheer speed. He heard air screaming just behind his head, and dove forward on instinct, rolling and twisting to aim back.

Armadillo's left arm was finishing its backhand sweep through the air X's head had occupied, and even as X aimed, he rushed upon the Hunter, his right fist hammering forward.

X tried to block the strike, but his arm's armor dented and he was sent flying toward the far wall with a bark of pain.

"I'll admit, I'm going to enjoy this, X!" Armor shouted, and whirled into his drill attack, ricocheting off the ground at full speed toward the prone Reploid.

X somehow pitched and rolled aside, the rock surfaces shattering where he'd been, and then the wall beyond, Armor rapidly sailing toward the far end of the room to bounce back even faster.

_I can't beat him head-on. Even Dr. Light's armor wasn't designed for this insanity. I'm built to be quick, not a tank, I just got the benefit of the greatest genius of the century making my armor tougher than usual for the speed I still have,_ X reminded himself firmly, his optics tracking the whirling Maverick as he bounced back toward the Hunter with a thundering crash against the high wall.

With a burst of dash-thrust from his feet, X ripped to his left as Armor came shooting in. Aiming down his flank, at the space he'd been occupying, X fired two bolts of violent, sparking electrical power from his altered buster.

The two shots hit the floor and wall, but didn't just dissipate. They spread and pulsed along the surface as they started to exhaust their charge.

Armor struck the corner at full speed, unable to halt his inertia, and a storm of electrical energy filled the room the next instant.

Armor roared from pain, unraveling at full speed, and crashing along the ground toward the front wall, slamming into it with his armored back at the end of a trail of sparking light. His optics flared even as his limbs smashed into the rocky surface, chunks of it floating out ahead of him from the force of the impact.

"No," Armor gasped, his optics finding X. "It's not possible!"

X was up and aimed, his free hand supporting his buster-arm. His expression was grim. "Stand down, Armadillo!"

Finally crashing down to his knees, Armor growled as his body continued to spark and crackle under waves of jittering light. His special armor was holding the charge like a capacitor. "Stand down? After this insult to my warrior pride! I'LL TEAR YOU APART!" the Maverick roared, surging forward.

However, this time Armor was all but stumbling along, his systems clearly suffering from the overloading shock perpetuating itself on his exo-structure. The ground might have cracked under each of his steps, but he was practically crawling compared to his previous speed.

X tensed. "Please, stop this! You can't win like that! This doesn't have to end violently, Armor!"

Armor was getting close, his left fist pulling back even as his servos quivered and twitched. "You don't have the luxury of peace anymore, X!"

A dark frown etched into X's face. Yet again, the human woman dying, bleeding over him in her last moments, filled his mind. His new comrades, the X-Hunters, all suffering as their original bodies were destroyed around them, consumed by their own madness.

"Luxury?" X rasped, and suddenly dashed forward, arms back and down, his eyes dilated as he suddenly roared with unearthly fury. "You might respect how hard peace really is if you ever GAVE IT A CHANCE!"

Armor's optics flared out of their angry focus as X shot in, and their heads collided at full speed.

Dr. Light built that helmet to withstand megatons of force at high speed. It found all the lines of weakness in Armor's crown-piece, and even with energy sparking over both Reploids, Armor pitched back, his armor shattering over the top of his head.

Armor Armadillo stumbled back, the room shaking with his gestures, and he finally slammed flat onto his back, pinned by his own weight, his head dazed.

X stood firm, legs spread, buster up near his face. "You're out of options, Armor. Deactivate your weapons, and give me the control codes for the mine's defenses."

His optics finally focusing again, Armor looked down himself at the smaller Hunter. "Always have an end-game, X."

X dashed back, aiming as Armor surged onto his feet.

Still crackling with energy, Armor wrenched his arms out to the sides, and sneered.

His enhanced armor started to unclamp from his main frame, and simply fall off his body. The ground shattered under each incredibly dense plate, the room quaking yet again.

Armor was left in a slim form, mostly his purple color, with small plates of silver around his primary systems. "Catch me if you can!"

X aimed and fired a fresh electrical blast. Armor flickered, and this time the air screamed from his raw speed. X hit open air, and spun around, only to pitch back from a blurred punch to his face.

Before he could even recover, X took another thunderous blow to his gut, pitching him into the air. Something hammered down into his back just as fast, and he slammed flat, cracking the ground with a muffled shout into the rock.

"Now we'll see who's faster, kid!" Armor shouted, and whirled into his drill form yet again. This time, he was bouncing around the chamber like a mad pinball, rocks and debris starting to trickle down the walls and rain down from the ceiling constantly.

X groaned, but quickly rolled, then dashed. He had to throw himself out of the path of Armor's blurring impacts from every angle.

Back-flipped at last, X landed, but took a drill-ram to his head, knocking him to his left.

"You."

Another blow to his back, pitching him forward.

"Can't."

A direct blow to his front sent X ripping back, smashing into the far wall with a pained groan, his armor dented and scratched.

"Win."

Armor unraveled for a moment, landing easily, his body whispering compared to the previous power it had to exert just to move. "Well fought, X, but it's over. I'm going to deliver your head to Sigma as requested. Maybe then I'll get a real job."

The light of the chamber intensified, Armor pausing as he watched X's body begin to glow with evanescing waves of energy.

Still stuck in the wall, body spread out, X's eyes were closed even as he glowed with ever-building power. At last, his eyes opened, but slowly. They raised to focus on Armor with that haunting darkness yet again. "Do you see it, Armor? Your own madness?"

Armor frowned, tensed, and then whirled into his drill attack, ricocheting off the ground at an angle to shoot straight for X as full speed.

X wrenched his arms forward, the rock shattering and chunks of it arcing out with his limbs. One hand reverted to his buster, and just as Armor was about to crash into him, X unleashed.

A ring-wave of pink-white electricity erupted out of his frame. It was immediately followed by a shock-wave of the same power ripping out in every direction.

Armor was whirling toward a storm of death, and he started to unravel, roaring as he tried to claw at the ground and change directions.

He could not grip the ground in time. The energy wave overtook him, and sent him flying across the room as a sparking comet.

Armor bounced off the wall, no longer conscious as his body started to rupture and explode along the external systems, his armor tearing itself apart until he limply crashed flat.

X walked out of the steam and dust created by his attack, his colors and buster reverting to normal. His expression was somewhat numb as he knelt down near Armor, turning the charred, broken body over so he could access the core components. "…Here's hoping I didn't kill the real you by accident. Hang in there, Armor."

[Later…]

The recovery had gone well after that. The mine was fully secured, and the Hunters had achieved another solid victory against Sigma's forces. After basic recovery operations, the involved squads reported back to base for a proper debriefing with Zero. X was simply biding his time before he retreated to his hideout. After his debacle with Dr. Cain, he knew he needed to be more careful about it.

So, he didn't start to leave headquarters until it was his normal shift-close. Just stepping out of a lift in the main hall of headquarters, X smiled for another Hunter that was just walking in.

"Thanks again, sir, and congratulations," the Reploid said as they passed.

X blinked, and then chuckled. "We're all doing our part, but thank you."

They shared a simple wave as their final parting.

X just stepped outside, and knew someone was lingering off to the left, but didn't think much of it at first. He was too lost in thought about what he needed to do at the hideout.

It was the gentle clearing of Alia's throat that drew him out of his grim reverie, and he paused, then smiled at her. "Alia, hello. Sorry, I'm a little distracted."

She smiled casually, leaning against the edge of an elevated garden decoration just outside the building. "I imagine you are. Can we talk for a second?"

X blinked, and then walked over, leaning against the same garden just to her left. "You okay?"

Alia giggled a bit, tilting her head down as she looked at him. "I'm fine. I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine, too," X offered with a bit of a laugh.

"You sure about that?" she challenged gently, a sincere concern and gravity in her beautiful optics.

X calmed his humor, seeing her real concern. "I'll be okay, Alia. Thank you for the concern, though," he added with softer humor.

Her hand gripped his shoulder. "You know you don't have to do it all alone, right?"

X was blushing a little, rubbing the back of his helmet with his left arm. "I know it looks that way, but I'm not really taking everything on alone. You've been helping me a lot since you joined operations, you know?"

A bit playfully annoyed, she retorted, "You know what I meant."

Calmer, he nodded. "I do." Completely serious, he reached up, and gently gripped her hand. It both served to reciprocate… and gently detached her hand from his shoulder.

They were both looking at their awkwardly held hands for a core-pulse, their eyes meeting seriously.

"It's something I have to do," X whispered, his expression revealing his grim sorrow.

Their hands parted, and Alia looked down past her knees. "…I'm not trying to be mean, but are you sure that's not a selfish goal?"

"I know it looks that way. I'm sorry I can't explain how it's not."

Alia sighed gently, and then forced a smile that become sincere as she kept it, looking up at him. "I can't second-guess you. I saw how you saved me. You have the skills you need for this kind of work. I just… worry about you, X. …We are friends, aren't we?"

He offered his hand. "Honored to be."

She shook it gently, and then quietly pulled him into a soft hug from the side, her face past his shoulder. It did surprise him, but he returned it in kind. A subtler and deeper sadness was growing in his optics as his cheek felt the warmth of her hair.

"You play it close to your chest, so I can't be sure about it, X. Please… if you need help, don't forget about asking for it, okay? I have to go with what you tell me, because I can't see it for myself."

Neither realized the other was crying softly.

X whispered, "I will always remember your friendship, and seek your help if I can, Alia."

She squeezed a bit. "…And you know it's not just me, right? Zero, Dr. Cain, they care about you, too."

He just nodded at her shoulder this time, his eyes closing.

"One last favor?" she asked, her own voice tight.

"What?"

"Never forget that gentleness in your heart. It's your real strength, X."

"Do the same?"

She laughed a little, and nodded. "Deal."

They eased apart, their eyes dry enough to hide the truth of their mutual tears. Playfully they shook hands again, and X repeated, "Deal."

Standing up and apart, they shared a simple farewell, and X made his way down the street. Silently, he reached up, touching his cheek her hair had caressed.

_So kind… but I can't pursue that. Not until this is done. I wouldn't want her to wait anyway. Thank you, Alia,_ his eyes closed as he thought it. _I hope you find happiness._

His grim self straightened, looking forward. He had work to do.

[The Hideout]

The screen blinked to life, and a holographic image of Armor Armadillo's face appeared. "…You saved me."

X smiled a bit for the former Maverick, sitting at the console in his hideout. "I hope that's okay by you?"

"…Why? After everything I did?"

"One, because you're another victim of Sigma, like everyone else who has suffered since this war started. Two… I need your help."

"With?" Armor asked, an optics-ridge up.

"Let me explain the X-Hunters…"

[Author's Note]

Sorry for the big delay, folks. Had some real world stuff come up. That, and I'll just say this: Mass Effect 3. Sorry, sorry. My bad.

Thanks for all the positive reviews. You guilt-tripped me into getting this chapter up sooner than I would have otherwise with such a distraction like ME3 going on, hehe.

I'm personally fond of how the characterization for Armor went in this chapter. I wanted him to be interesting. I also toyed with the idea of making Armor a woman, but I also felt that would jar too much with the character everyone knows, and these Mavericks *are* supposed to be who you remember, just with a bit more depth.

And, of course, Alia/X fluff is just too cute. Alia's a great deal of fun to write.


	9. Chapter 8: The Fleet

Chapter 8: "Fleet"

Holographic images of naval vessels, lit in green, floated in a field of blue light. Many of the ships seemed damaged, with red lighting through their structures, some half-sunk into the blue field.

The display was on the central console of Maverick Hunter headquarters. Around the large table stood X, Zero, and Dr. Cain. None of them looked pleased as the din of the support teams around the edges of the room filled the air.

"This makes the third patrol fleet ambushed this week," Zero said, firm anger in his voice, his hands gripping the edges of the console a little too well. "Launch Octopus is toying with us, and we've lost a lot of good people already."

X was silent for the moment, his eyes grim as they soaked in the holographic display.

Dr. Cain replied, "What concerns me most is how difficult Launch is to track. Clearly he has either invented or discovered some kind of stealth technology for his armada. Our sensors are top of the line, and the government has authorized our full access to all defense data because of Sigma's threat. They simply should not be able to drop off the scans like this."

X finally spoke, one hand up at his chin, the other arm crossed to hold the elbow, "Regardless, we don't have the time to develop a proper countermeasure. Too many are dying. Are there any patterns to the patrols that have been ambushed? Any commonalities?"

Zero shook his head. "Not in their behavior or position. However, we do know he almost always strikes during a formation change. Logical, of course. They're most vulnerable to flanking attacks while shifting formations for the next phase of a patrol."

"So it could be any patrol, but if he hits, it will be during a formation change," X confirmed aloud, obviously just thinking verbally.

"Perhaps we can force his hand?" Dr. Cain offered, but his expression was grim rather than hopeful.

Zero and X focused on him.

"Bait, I mean. Give him a target too good to pass up. He clearly has reason to be confident, it might nudge his ego the right way."

X's eyes narrowed at the hologram again. _I know a Maverick's aggression is intensified, but Launch has been very careful. And clearly the aggressive boost doesn't shut off cognitive thought. Chill and Spark were viciously patient and exact._

Zero voiced his concern, "I see the merit, but if we give him a juicy target, he may just commit his fleet, and stay hidden himself. He's too smart to assume he won't see the obvious bait."

X cringed as an idea popped up in his mind. Dr. Cain and Zero saw his pained expression, and focused on him. Zero gave Dr. Cain a sidelong glance, and the human finally asked, "What's wrong, X?"

X closed his eyes, his brow knitting, and bowed his head. "…How big is Launch's armada? That we know of, at least."

"Between twelve and fifteen cruisers," Zero answered, leaning back and crossing his arms. "Why?"

"Multiple traps," X said with a slow exhale.

Dr. Cain and Zero shared an impressed glance. Dr. Cain focused on X again, and asked, "You mean give him enough choice targets that he must mobilize himself, or be unable to direct enough force to actually take any one?"

"Basically," X confirmed, looking up at last.

"You seem more distressed by the plan than the attacks," Zero challenged in a calm voice, but the sharpness in his eyes was focused.

"I'm here to save lives, not put them at risk. I just wish Dr. Light gave me tracking systems that could fix this."

Zero nodded, looking down at the display again himself. "Not to mention, who would we choose for the bait?"

Dr. Cain grimly smiled. "Us."

X and Zero blinked at him.

Hands on his cane, the doctor explained, "We are the three greatest threats to Sigma's rule, if you had to choose singular individuals for such a thing. If we discretely reveal that each of us is leading a patrol platoon, I doubt Launch could pass it up."

X let his confusion show. "I understand the plan, Dr. Cain, but how would we help you if you were the one he chose?"

"We've taken a lot of hits. Tightening up security makes sense. If we put the platoons within a smaller distance of each other, either of you can come to help me, if I'm the one attacked."

"Not a believable distance, though," Zero pointed out with a frown. "It would take us several minutes to get to you, Doc. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that risk. You're our technical heavy hitter."

"I have my ways, Zero. I assure you, if he chooses me, I will last long enough for support to arrive and take Launch," Dr. Cain replied with a polite kind of firmness.

X and Zero shared a look this time, both worried, but also appraising.

X finally asked, "Are you sure, doctor?"

Dr. Cain nodded.

Zero sighed. "Okay… I'll start getting it organized."

"Bring Alia in on this. Her organizational skills will matter a lot here," X immediately suggested.

"Check," Zero casually agreed, and marched off.

X walked around to Dr. Cain, and quietly asked, "Are you really sure about this?"

"Like you, X, I must take responsibility for my part of this. If I have value of some kind, this is my chance to turn that against the enemy," Dr. Cain explained, oddly grave despite the situation, and turned to walk away.

X exhaled quietly, a sad expression on his face. _This isn't what I meant to do to you, Dr. Cain…_

[Out on the waves…]

X stood on the control deck of a cruiser in the open waters. The deck was open to the air, and offered a full panoramic view of the ocean around them. The other ships in his platoon were arrayed behind his in a V-formation.

Deepfreeze stood at the helm, directing the ship's specific path. He had a holographic display just over his controls, and his optics glided over them briefly. It showed clusters of dots off to the Northeast and East from their own position. "We're all in position now, sir."

X nodded, his head staying bowed a bit, his eyes tightening. "So much can go wrong with this…"

There were a few technicians on the command deck with them, but X kept his voice low enough for only Deepfreeze to hear.

"True. However, if we can keep Launch out of the water, and on a ship, we have a good shot. No one can match him in aquatic combat with our current abilities," Deepfreeze replied with a grim sidelong look at the end.

Another Reploid climbed up onto the command deck. His back incorporated a hefty, armored storage system and comm devices, and his body was suited to carry it, wide and tall. His coloring was mostly silver, with hints of earthy yellow and a faceplate of a unique purple hue.

"We're looking good so far, sir," he reported to X formally, standing to attention and saluting.

X nodded to let the Reploid relax. "No sign of enemy movement in the water, Barrel?"

"None yet. I checked in with Overload and Airstrike in the other platoons to confirm."

X looked out again. "Just have to keep up appearances then. Good job, Barrel." _I have to hand it to Armor Armadillo. He adapted even faster than the other X-Hunters to the plan. I was worried that false background would get caught, but he kept himself inconspicuous enough for it to make sense._

Barrel simply moved over to the comm station, relieving the other Reploid there, and sat down, working away.

X felt a private comm signal ping, and glanced down as he replied, /Yes, Inferno?/

/Just checking in, X. Dr. Cain seems well, but I have to admit, he's being cryptic. He was preparing something in his cabin for a good two hours earlier, but I couldn't peg what it was. Not without giving away the game, anyway./

/Understood, good work. Just watch his back for me, please?/

Inferno, currently lounging back as if playfully relaxed on the command deck of Dr. Cain's ship, allowed himself a grin. /Will do. I share your suspicion that they'll go for him instead of either of you./

X looked up, eyes soaking in the ocean beyond. /He can't fight on his own. It makes him the most logical target. Tactically speaking./

/And anyone who would want revenge on you personally…/

X's eyes closed at the thought. /Indeed./

[Across the way…]

Dr. Cain seemed to grow disinterested with the view from the command deck of his own ship, and clambered down onto the main deck. The command deck was elevated near the prow, leaving the main deck as a wide, open space. It was primarily designed to launch and land hover-vehicles for amphibious assaults.

Inferno climbed down in his wake. "Something wrong, Doctor?"

Dr. Cain swore he felt the deck shiver with Inferno's steps. The Reploid was massive. "Nothing, Inferno. Simply waiting here."

Inferno raised an optic ridge. "You seem confident you'll be the target."

"Of course. I'm practically a damsel in distress. I'm the weak link in the chain. They may choose another strategy, but I'm the most obvious choice."

"And you don't want to wait below decks?"

"No," Dr. Cain answered with steel in his voice, his eyes sharpening toward the aft of the ship as he stood. "I have certain plans of my own, Inferno."

"Very good, sir," the Reploid conceded, and simply lounged back. This time, he wasn't relaxed. His optics were sharp over the waters.

[Elsewhere…]

Down in the deep, optics flashed on just above an armored mask, and beneath the bulbous head of an octopoid. "They really did it. How foolish. Fleet, deploy to X and Zero's platoons. I'll tend to the good doctor."

The ocean began to tremble as shadows glided out through the depths.

[Above…]

"Movement," Barrel reported sharply, his hand flying over his console.

X's buster activated, and he touched his audio sensor, "We have movement. Platoon ready. Commander Zero, Doctor Cain, be on guard."

[With Zero…]

Across the waters, Zero frowned down at the darker water expanding toward his ships. "We've got movement, too."

[Dr. Cain]

Dr. Cain simply set his cane down, and rested both hands on the top, his eyes focusing out with grave.

[At base…]

In Maverick Hunter HQ, Alia was working furiously at her own console, and then touched her audio sensor. "Hunter Fleet! This is Alia! We're seeing multiple subaquatic enemies inbound to all platoons. It has to be Launch Octopus' entire fleet!"

"Roger that," Barrel replied over the comm. "We're mobilizing."

[On the water…]

The combat vessels in all three platoons changed. Their flanks opened, spreading out, with articulating cannons swirling about to gather orientation and targeting data. With yellow energy humming to life in the base of every cannon-barrel, they watched the shadows rushing toward them from below.

On X's vessel, Barrel shouted, "Torpedoes and plasma surges in the water!"

X firmed. _These ships are too fragile to let them hit first…_ "Open fire! Stop their advance!"

Zero and Dr. Cain gave similar orders.

The next instant, the waters ignited. Explosions and flashes of energy pitched and churned the waves into mist, steam, and amorphous craters of shock.

X flipped up onto the top of the view-deck, and started to fire blasts down into the water. Plasma-bolts could burn down through the waves much better than physical projectiles, but he could tell his attacks were fizzling out too early to do much good.

That was when the water to his left erupted violently. X twisted, even the other ships starting to fire toward that location, but his eyes widened at the massive, mechanical sea-dragon that was looming up over his ship.

This was one of the monstrosities Flame Mammoth's factory had been building. He recognized the gaping maw with a massive cannon building energy down toward him.

More so, the cannon fire from the ship was only pinging off of its armored flanks.

Reacting on instinct, X leapt up into its face, punching it.

As the beast reeled back with a hydraulic gasp, X held onto the lip, and swung over it. As it aimed up, he aimed down into its gullet, and his colors and buster shifted. The tornado-buster primed, and fired.

Inside the armored skin, the condensed air-blast blew the back side of the head clean off, and rammed the serpent's body down into the waves with a blasting crash.

X, able to flip off from his reverse momentum of the tornado, rushed down to his ship to land safely.

[With Dr. Cain…]

Knowing his Reploid crew was well-trained for combat, Dr. Cain was still waiting down on the main deck even after his ship had opened up its flanks to return fire.

Inferno leaned out from the view-deck. He had climbed back up as the ships readied their guns. "Doctor! By far the larger forces are after Commander X and Zero's platoons!"

Dr. Cain looked up over his shoulder. "Then I estimate I was right, Inferno. Hold the line."

"Sir!" the Reploid returned, pulling back from the railing.

A geyser of ocean water made Dr. Cain focus up, though he didn't seem shocked.

Launch Octopus whirled out of the pillar of water, and then flipped down, crashing to his haunches on the deck. Four tentacles arms lashed to his sides, his sturdy legs braced down, and his optics sharpened. "Dr. Cain. How good of you to join us."

Inferno slammed down to the deck that instant, his left arm configuring into a buster with a pilot-light at the bottom of the barrel. "Surrender. Now."

Dr. Cain had no reason to correct the command. He still seemed remarkably calm, his hands resting on his cane. Somehow, he wasn't forced to shift weight as the ship pitched from explosions around it.

Launch chuckled, two of his tentacles aiming at Inferno. "A flamethrower isn't the best weapon choice, Hunter. My torpedoes will have you in pieces or off the deck before a single wave of your fire hits me."

Inferno's other arm snapped into a normal plasma buster, and aimed in the same gesture.

Launch's mask-plate shifted faintly. He was smirking.

Using his internal comm, Inferno warned the other platoons, /X, Zero, all ships, Launch Octopus has personally landed on Dr. Cain's ship./

[With X…]

X's optics snapped up, sharp with frustration and battle focus. "Barrel, Deepfreeze, do you two have this situation?" he asked quickly, braced down on three limbs atop the ship.

Barrel was firing swirling plasma drills into the waters below, Deepfreeze blasting cryo-bolts on the other side.

"Of course, sir!" Deepfreeze replied. "Go!"

"You heard him!" Barrel confirmed.

X dash-leapt off his ship, and landing on the water with an explosive burst of his dash-thrusters again. He instantly accelerated, and keep blasting himself forward. In just a moment, he was skating across the water at full speed, a geyser churning up as a wave in his wake.

[With Zero…]

Airstrike frowned down at his control screen on Zero's main ship. He leaned away enough to shout over to his commander, who was blasting shark-drones and torpedoes out of the water on the port side of the vessel that moment. "Sir! Commander X has mobilized toward Dr. Cain's position!"

Zero blew another shark-bot out of the water, and then twisted, clearly aggravated. "Alone? Idiot! Are their coordinates still consistent from last check?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Hold and disable those enemy ships, Airstrike. You have platoon-command until I return!"

"Sir!"

Zero dash-flipped off the ship, and 'landed' skating along similar to X himself. Both were converging toward Dr. Cain's position, but it would take time…

[On the deck…]

Launch Octopus started the fight. He fired both tentacles at Inferno. The large Hunter showed shocking skill, neatly diving down to his left, away from Dr. Cain, while firing a plasma bolt into the first missile, detonating it safely away from the doctor, and unleashing a fire-arc with his other cannon, catching the second missile in it. The combination of the sweeping gesture and heat pulled the missile off course, out toward the water, before it exploded.

Launch tucked and rolled to his left, opposite Inferno, and uprighted as he fired with all four tentacles. This time, one missile was aimed straight at Dr. Cain. The doctor seemed ready for it, his jaw setting and his hands clenched on his cane, but he snapped his eyes up as balled-up jolts of energy ripped down and blew the missiles up early.

Overload was diving out of the view-deck, firing with both forearms. Sparking orbs had elongated out over both of his fists, and they surged with power before unleashing the bolts of energy.

With his momentum, Overload somersaulted, twisted, and landed on the aft side of the deck, weapons aimed. Launch was caught in the middle, two tentacles aimed at Inferno, one at Dr. Cain, and the last at Overload.

"Quite a stand-off we have here," Launch muttered, seeming amused.

Overload and Inferno said nothing. Dr. Cain remained stoic and calm, but replied, "You're completely out-done tactically, Launch. What game are you playing at?"

Launch Octopus didn't reply immediately. His optics were scanning from one enemy to the next in turn. _These new Hunters are strange. I miscalculated. Those maneuvers and tactics are highly advanced. They're very experienced. The doctor and some rookies I could handle just fine. These are fighting like veterans._ "Oh, I've still got a few tricks up my sleeves. I really wonder if you can stop them ALL!" he roared as he suddenly twisted around, spinning like a top.

The tentacles fired in rapid succession. A volley of torpedoes can ripping out, arcing into an explosive vortex.

Inferno opened fire, wrenching himself backward. "Dr. Cain!"

Overload unleashed a shock-wave of power from both hands, but his optics were focused with horror toward the human on the deck as well. Several torpedoes were bearing straight for him, and neither Hunter could possibly reach him in time.

Launch was also leaping away, intending to land in the water over the side.

Dr. Cain's hands shifted, his left lifting the top of the cane up, extending it on a previously hidden gap, and his right hand depressed a control-button there instantly. Just as the missiles came in, he spun around, as if to meet them head on.

Launch Octopus actually choked and sputtered as a pincer-grip on a metallic chord flew out and clamped around his neck. From the smoke where Dr. Cain had been standing amidst the exploding missiles, it wrenched down, pulling Launch back into the deck with a shattering smash.

Inferno and Overload stared. As the smoke cleared, a hulking Reploid stomped out.

Dr. Cain rose up to his full height, his body encased in a black metal exo-suit resembling a smooth, contoured version of Inferno's large frame. His head was visible inside an armored bubble of transparent material.

All three Reploid on the deck were just staring at him, even as Launch was trying to recover, the pincer from Dr. Cain's left-hand claw still holding tightly to his frame.

Dr. Cain stepped forward again, his voice coming through heavily filtered by the suit. "Reports of my vulnerability on the field were exaggerated. I wouldn't be very effective bait without a trap to spring, now would I?"

Launch growled, and suddenly wrenched his own tentacles out, up, and in, aiming at his own neck. "Clever!"

Dr. Cain finally showed shock, stumbling back as Launch Octopus fired into his own frame.

The pincer-grapple flew free, retracting back into Dr. Cain's suit-arm. Launch tried to leap out, his upper body smoldering, but somehow still working.

Overload tackled Launch to the deck, but took a missile to the gut, flying back and smashing against the aft of the ship with a groan. Inferno unloaded suppressing fire (literally in the case of his left-buster), and Dr. Cain aimed his right arm, a large cannon lifting and extending over the top of the hand.

"Don't let him into the water!" Dr. Cain shouted, firing once. The air pulsed from the plasma bolt.

The white-yellow orb he fired ripped across the deck, and Launch barely back-peddled away from it. A chunk of the aft portion of the boat was blown into molten chunks in his place. Overload somewhat wryly held his left hand up as he cringed away, the blast narrowly missing him.

What ensued was a ballistic dance. As Launch spun around mid-deck, firing missiles off to keep his enemies away, Overload, Inferno, and Dr. Cain blew the missiles out of the air and dodged around. The ship itself was starting to take the brunt of the battle.

The odd dance continued until the ship suddenly gave an explosive snap of heavy metals, and listed to its starboard side.

Dr. Cain stumbled, spreading his armored legs wide to catch his balance, and looked over his shoulder to the forward part of the ship dipping toward the waves. Inferno and Overload kept Launch occupied so he couldn't just dive out yet.

_I'll admit I had failed to calculate the collateral damage to the ship. This is going to get messy,_ Dr. Cain realized, and then turned to aim a fresh blast at Launch.

"Get down!" a new voice shouted over the din of battle.

Inferno, Overload, and Dr. Cain braced back and away as the deck around Launch lit up with plasma bolts.

X came sailing off the water from the starboard side, firing the whole way, and crashed to his haunches just over the ship's railing.

Launch instantly snapped off missiles in pairs at X, spinning his own body to lash each set of limbs toward the armored Hunter.

X started to rush forward, firing plasma bolts into two of the missiles, and twisting-hopping so that he drilled his body around the third missile. The fourth he head-butted, his specialized helmet letting the blast ignite and funnel around his armored body.

He landed with a diving roll as the one missile exploded out in open water, near one of the other ships in the platoon.

Launch reverse rolled away from X, unable to jump because of a lashing wave of fire from Inferno. Dr. Cain lunged out to grab the Maverick, but the octopoid lashed two tentacles out to his legs, and tripped him. Dr. Cain went down with a deck-cracking crash.

Inferno deftly gripped and belted the same tentacles away from himself, but was forced to twist away, and couldn't fire a good shot at Launch.

X trained his buster on the Maverick, his eyes sharpening as he steadied the arm with his free hand. Launch smiled at X with his optics as his free limbs aimed toward X and Overload both, firing.

Overload fired electrical blasts, detonating both missiles as he strafed, and X dashed closer, firing almost point-blank into Launch's left shoulder.

Launch cried out, twisting around as his shoulder spit smoke and sparks out. X was trying to look for a chance to grapple Launch into the deck and detain him. Launch used the momentary gap in the attack to whip his tentacles out more sharply. X and Inferno took the whips to their chests, and were thrown back just as the ship gave another nauseating pitch toward the water.

All four members of the Hunter force had to grip onto chunks of the deck to keep hold of themselves, and Launch Octopus finally back-flipped into the water.

"Damn it!" Overload shouted. "Somebody get a lock before he vanishes!" he ordered as he tapped his audio sensor.

The ship pitched back finally, something crashing into it from the front corner.

Zero was there, his thrusters blasting at full force as he pushed the boat up as hard as he could. "This ship is done, get off!"

Another ship was angling up on the port side. Inferno was rallying the crew to start jumping across.

Dr. Cain picked himself up, staring into the water with constrained frustration. "All this…"

X's fists clenched, his brow knotting. Launch wasn't leaving yet, he was zipping through the water, firing away at the other ships. "…I'm ending this."

Dr. Cain snapped an arm out, blocking X. "No! He's too well adapted to submerged combat, X. You'll just be killing yourself!"

X glared up the metal arm at his friend. "There is too much at stake here, Doctor! I am doing what I must!" And he suddenly boost-jumped straight up, arcing down into the water.

"X, no!" Dr. Cain roared after him.

Overload grimaced at seeing it, and Zero looked over his shoulder while he was still holding the ship afloat.

"X, you idiot!" the red Hunter roared in frustration.

[In the depths…]

X dove into the water, rushing deep at high speed.

He heard Launch laughing, and looked up, seeing the Maverick rush and weave through the water with graceful ease.

"So you really are that head-strong. Now you're in my territory, Hunter!"

X snapped his buster up and fired, but his bolts sizzled through the water too slowly. Launch whipped between them, and then swirled into a vortex.

X couldn't help but get carried around at sickening speed, and then be tossed out into the calmer water as if it was a wall, his systems shuddering. _It's his body. He can swim too easily, and my normal weapons slow down too much in the water._ "Alia!" he bubbled out. "I need specs! On his skin!"

Alia heard his request, but blinked at the screen. "…Skin…? Uh… right!" she quickly shifted mental gears, and her hands started blurring over the controls.

Shifting to a private comm as he tried to thruster-jet away from a pair of torpedoes, X continued, /X-Hunters, any advice in weapons that move faster through water?/

/The rotary-shield you got from me, X,/ Barrel instantly chimed in. /You'd have to be close, but it can dig through the water just like it can dirt and rock./

"X!" Alia returned. "His skin is specially designed to lower the water pressure immediately around him. Like an alligator or a golf-ball! If you can get something close enough, it'll get through his ability to dodge. It's all I can find!"

"Got it," X doubled the response to go to both Alia and Barrel. His colors shifted, and his buster elongated and partially opened down one side, blue energy thrumming to life along the visible part of the barrel.

Memories of the brief battle on the boat returned. Launch's optics sharpening as he fired each time.

_He likes savoring the kill-shot. He wants to watch me get hit. That's when I can get close._

And Launch ripped through the fluid behind X, tentacles twisting around to aim as his optics sharpened with malefic pleasure. "After all my comrades fall to you, I finally get the pleasure of blowing you out of the water!"

X's legs burst their thrusters, and he suddenly whirled around and charged just as the missiles left Launch's barrels.

X's buster started to fire. A strange, whirling ovoid erupted over his arm, starting to rush forward to fire. It was ripping the water into a bubble, moving faster and faster, pulling him through the water faster than even his thrusters.

Launch's optics flared. It all slowed down for him, his audio sensors hearing X's roar of exertion through the thick waters, his tentacles starting to break apart around the rolling shield still launching off the Hunter's buster, and the blue glow filling his optics.

X hit. The power of the rotary shield smashed into Launch's chest plate, and spun him around like a drill-bit, the pair ripping back further through the water in a sidelong gash in the fluid.

At last, it stopped, and X let his colors and buster revert. Launch's body was starting to sink already.

X caught it, and before anyone dove down to check, he removed the core components. They were right in line with the damage from the rotary shield anyway, it was almost perfect.

Touching his audio sensor, X smiled, and reported, "We got 'im. Mission complete, everyone."

Command erupted with cheers, Alia just sinking with relief over her console.

Zero, finally on a ship's deck again, shook his head, but was smirking.

Dr. Cain, his armor reverting under his robe and along his back, sighed, but smiled as well.

Overload, Airstrike, Barrel, Deepfreeze, and Inferno were all gathered together now that the platoons had united, and were sharing wry looks. Deepfreeze actually slapped Barrel on the back for his call about the weapon.

On a private comm, Airstrike asked, /X, did you get Launch's core components?/

/Yes. Full success. We'll talk with him later tonight./

The secret team was deeply relieved. Despite it all, getting one of their old friends back felt good.

[Elsewhere…]

In a dark chamber, lit only by the glow of the holographic screen before him, Sigma frowned. He was seated in a throne of some kind, his hand down over the side, slowly patting the head of an armored, robotic dog. The mechanical canine seemed pleased with the affection.

"Far more trouble than he should be," Sigma muttered.

Standing, his cape spilling down behind him, the Maverick leader exhaled, rubbing his brow. "I see it was a mistake to underestimate Dr. Light's legacy so much. Completely outgunned, he still pulls through. His adaptability itself is mindboggling. His true power."

He reached up, and touched his audio sensor. "Vile, return to base. We need to prepare for a frontal assault."

"…Frontal assault? They don't even know where the base is yet."

"They'll know because I'm going to show them. We need to tend to this personally, Vile. Especially X. Mobilize Sting and Boomer. We need them to make the distraction while we deploy."

"…Yes, sir."

Sigma lowered his hand, and looked back at the screen. It showed X himself, with data and reports from the various battles. "Why do I get the feeling this won't be settled until we're face to face, X?"

[Author's Note]

Thanks for the support, reviews, favs, and watches everyone! I'm sorry my updates have slowed so much, but don't worry, this story is still my primary writing focus. Just have a lot going on right now.

I'll be trying to smoothly incorporate the X-Hunters in the plot like the other cast-members from here on out. They'll become more important as time goes on. For now, they just need to come off naturally. Hopefully I pull that much off.

A lot of his chapter was borne of the desire to have Dr. Caine kick some butt, but in a believable manner for his character. He never takes the fore in the games, so having him suddenly front-line a mission completely would be a bit much in my eyes, but I definitely wanted him to be *important*. I'd love any feedback on his part in this chapter especially.

Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 9: Bait and Switch

Chapter 9: "Bait and Switch"

X leaned back in his seat. The hideout was only lit by the screen showing Launch Octopus' digital face. The still physically present Hunter had just finished explaining the situation to the former Maverick.

Launch was silent for an extended period, his eyes looking down. "There are important matters, such as the loss of life I caused, or the sheer resources I caused us to lose, but I'm honestly more haunted by something much more selfish, X."

Intrigued, X tilted his head. "Go on?"

Launch looked up at last. "Before the infection, I already had some… frustrations with humans, X. Half of them treated me like an exaggerated navigation computer, the others hid how uncomfortable they were with me having so much power over ships and weapons. Now that everything has happened… I feel like I can't trust my feelings. The infection fed on them, X. It made them… deeper."

X looked down this time. "I appreciate your candor, Launch. I think that kind of frustration is inevitable. The point is that you never turned them into violence and death before the infection. Struggling for greater rights, greater freedom is not evil, Launch. In that case, the methods would be the question. Do you think you would ever really want to just… kill them?" he asked quite pointedly, looking his companion in the eyes.

Launch's expression was disturbingly grave. "I can't be sure, X."

A deep sadness formed in X's expression. "…Not just in defense?"

"I don't know myself anymore, X. Rationally, computationally, I understand the infection overrode my protocols and drove my aggression through the roof. Part of me, however, liked it. Found it satisfying. Not all of me, but enough. The only question here that matters is this: Can YOU trust me to keep the peace as you've asked the other X-Hunters?"

X sighed, looking off to the side. "Honestly, I doubt the others had no satisfaction in it. Anyone would. Even a human, Launch. With free will and emotions comes… a danger. That you see it so clearly makes me almost want to recruit you even more," he looked back to Launch as he finished.

"Almost."

X nodded. "Was there never a human you shared respect with, Launch?"

Launch glanced down again. "One."

"May I ask about them?"

"He was an older human. Manned the docks where I was stationed for a time. Just a cleaner, really. We met by accident, literally bumping into each other. I stopped him from falling flat with one of my tentacles. I could see how old he was, so I was concerned he'd been injured. He found the concern amusing, and then thanked me. After that, we spoke on occasion, shared thoughts."

X's eyes tightened. "You sound sad about him."

"He died, X. Heart-attack, still working on the docks." Launch looked off to the side in his display. "He was working beyond retirement for his granddaughter to get through school. She had no one else."

X's shoulder sank. "What happened to her?"

"…I used a fake identify check on her. She was coming of age in a month after his death. I used the funds I had discretionary access to, and finished the payments she would need. She had a job and went to college before the war started. She's currently a refugee."

X leaned onto his desk with a faint smile. "Then it sounds like you have something to take care of after the fighting, Launch."

The freed Hunter blinked at X, and then slowly nodded. "I do. I suppose I should choose a new name as the others did?"

X broadened his smile. "Probably a good idea."

"…Depthcharge."

"I'll start making up the records. Welcome aboard, Depthcharge."

"…Her name is Jessica."

X stood up with a grin. "I'll pull the latest information for her, too."

"…Thank you, X. For… all of this."

"We're in this together, Depthcharge. That's all that matters."

[In the city…]

Dr. Cain frowned up at his security screens when the signal for his home's door beeped. He was working in his private lab, his work screen glowing with gentle green hues below the harsher white of the security feed above.

X was standing outside his home, glancing back at the street, and even rubbing one arm anxiously.

Wary of Maverick traps, Dr. Cain did use the comm, touching a control at his left hand. "Just out of paranoia, X, what's the code for today?"

He saw the little smile on X's face. "Glad you're being cautious, Doctor. 'For freedom and life'."

The door clicked with a soft beep on X's end. The Reploid stepped inside, making sure the door sealed in his wake, and he made his way through Dr. Cain's house. He knew where the aged human would be.

Indeed, the doors to Dr. Cain's lab opened, and the human turned in his chair to greet X. Dr. Cain seemed a bit confused, but he was cordial. "An unexpected surprise, X. How are you?"

"Well enough, Dr. Cain. I wanted to talk, if that's alright?"

Dr. Cain frowned in thought, and glanced down to another chair. He gestured, inviting the Reploid over.

X accepted the indicated chair, and sat down, rubbing his hands together in slow anxiety. "You handled yourself well in the battle."

Dr. Cain smirked a bit. "I do pick up a thing or two watching you all on your missions."

X chuckled. "I imagine. I did want to ask something, though."

"Go ahead."

"…Were you so set on that plan because of what I chose before?" X asked directly, looking up with a grave set in his eyes.

Dr. Cain exhaled, leaning back a bit. "…Yes."

"Why?"

"Despite my feelings, you made the right choice, X. I'm not sure anyone else could have accomplished what you have without a much greater loss of life. It made me realize that if you were going to risk your life for this battle, I needed to be willing to do the same. Our relationship may be altered, X, but I think we will remain strong comrades."

The Reploid nodded softly, looking down. "I would hope so, at least."

"And your use of the rotary shield system against Launch was inspired. What made you think of it?" Dr. Cain queried in idle humor.

X nervously rubbed the back of his helmet. "Oh, that. We have a good team, one of the other Hunters comm'd me with the suggestion. Barrel, I believe."

"He does seem a promising new recruit. One of your recommendations, I recall?"

"His record was exemplary."

Dr. Cain nodded slowly. "Very much so."

The two eyed each other in an oddly tense moment. X's face softened into concern. "You okay, Doctor?"

Dr. Cain forced a smile, and tipped his head. "Fine, X. Thank you for checking on me. I trust we're alright?"

X smiled, and stood up, offering his hand. They shook hands, and the Reploid simply bowed a bit, and walked out.

It wasn't until X was out on the street, and Dr. Cain in his lab alone, that they both let their faces fall. There was still too great of a gap between them. Too many secrets. They both shrugged it off, and X set out into the night.

[Maverick Hunter HQ]

Alia leaned back from her desk, rubbing her neck as the servos ticked. "Okay, maybe volunteering for the skeleton crew was a bad idea," she muttered as she flexed her neck to properly spread out the lubricants and hydraulics that had gotten too stuck with her leaning over her console for hours.

"Here."

She blinked, and looked at the energy capsule being held down for her by another Reploid. With an embarrassed laugh, she took the capsule, and smiled up at her companion. "Thanks, Dex. I see you're used to this long haul shift."

Dex shrugged, light dancing over his crimson and gray frame. "More that I know how focused you get. You forget to charge way too often, Alia," he finished and actually stuck his tongue out at her.

Alia stuck her tongue out back at him, and then tossed the capsule into her mouth, letting her power conversion systems absorb it as she turned back to her console. "I'm just anxious, I guess. It's been too quiet. Especially with the patrols we've sent out to Sting Chameleon and Boom Kuwanger's bases, I'd expect some kind of skirmish by now."

Dex moved over to a further console, and sat down as he replied, "Agreed. Everyone is a little wary at the moment. Do you know who's on security detail tonight?"

Alia punched up a screen on her console. "Looks like… Deepfreeze and his unit. Sheesh, does that guy ever charge either?"

"He does seem to be everywhere, I'll give ya that," Dex answered as he started looking over his security feeds again.

They both laughed a bit, and continued their work. After a good chunk of the evening, Dex's brow creased at his console, and he hit a few controls. "…Alia, could you check the sensors on perimeter section 14-D for me?"

Alia instantly snapped her controls into that view, and her face turned grim. "That's not right. We just checked those sensors this morning."

"Alert?" Dex asked first.

"I have to make sure we didn't just break something when we checked them. Signal Deepfreeze on normal comms, and let him know what's happening. Hold down the fort here, I'll go check those sensors," Alia explained, already hopping up and rushing for the door.

"Alone?"

"If I'm making a mistake, I want to be the only one paying for it this time," she answered cryptically, and the door shut in her wake.

Dex watched the door anxiously for a moment, and then opened his comm. "Deepfreeze, do you copy?"

"Yes, report?"

[Outside…]

Alia hurried out of the fortress structure on the ground level, looking up at the defense wall already. Nothing seemed amiss in the night air, but she frowned, and sped up. A maintenance ladder there was all she needed, and she climbed with practiced ease.

Along the top of the wall were sensor fields with power-lights glowing to confirm their activity. Except for one.

Alia reached the top of the ladder, and did an adroit little twist and flip onto the wall itself, crouching at the offline sensor. Her eyes sharpened at the severed circuitry, and she touched her audio sensor at her head. "Alert, Dex, Deepfreeze. We have confirmed sabotage."

The air in front of her face shimmer, and Alia almost yelped, her left hand snapping a blaster pistol out from her storage pack on her back.

Sting Chameleon became visible, smiling right in her face as both of his oblong optics focused on her. "How right you are!"

The alarms were just starting up throughout headquarters as Sting snapped at her neck with his right claw, and Alia threw herself backward, firing up at his chest.

Sting's lithe body snapped and twisted out of the path of the shot, and he was already climb-racing toward her with his hind legs.

Alia's back hit another power-light, and she gave a shout before ducking her head sharply. Sting's tail decapitated the light instead of her, and she kicked his legs out from under him.

Sting simply backflipped with the loss of his feet, and clamped onto the wall itself, smiling up at her as his body started to shimmer out of view.

Alia's face turned dark, and her hand shot out, grabbing his snout as her pistol aimed at his forehead. "You're not going anywhere!"

Sting seemed startled at first, but this his smile returned. One optic looked behind himself, at the fortress, the other remaining on her. "Your plan is faulty, my dear."

She started to pull the trigger.

Sting yanked himself down by his claws in the wall. Her pistol shot flew out and pinged off the fortress wall as her grip on his snout pulled her forward.

Sting's left foot snapped up as his body folded, and clamped around her neck. Alia yelped finally, realizing she was being pulled off the wall. It was a twenty meter drop straight down if the Maverick chose to let her free-fall.

Alia's eyes got a horrible view of the sheer drop over Sting's body, but she reacted quickly, both kicking down at his head, and grabbing hold of his tail with both hands. Her pistol took the fall, however, and shattered down below.

Sting growled, and whipped his body down. Alia was slammed into the wall by his tail, cracking parts of the metal and cement. She shouted in pain, but held on, and growled right back at the Maverick.

With a jerk and wrench, Alia hefted her legs all the way up, and coiled them around his waist as she kept yanking on his tail with her hands. "We're falling together if we fall, you slimy bastard!"

"Does it occur to you that I'm designed for that kind of impact shock?" Sting rather blithely replied down over his shoulder, one optics aimed at her.

She frowned up at him, the two comically lashed together, her upside-down, glaring at each other over their shoulders. "I'll call that bluff, goggles."

"Oh, mocking my eyes. I've never had an enemy do THAT before," Sting's visible optic rolled completely around. "I'll answer your call!"

And he actually did let go of the wall.

As they started to fall, Alia determined not to fail, she tried to twist and pitch her body so he would take the brunt of the landing. It was starting to work, but the end of Sting's tail twisted back, aiming straight at her eyes.

Alia's gaze widened as she saw the razor-spines flick out, ready to fire off into her face point-blank. "Crap!" she cursed, and twisted herself just as they fired.

Her head was out of the way just fast enough, the spines digging into the defense wall, but it also twisted the falling pair so Alia was aimed at the ground first, Sting cackling.

Then something hit them both like a battering ram.

Alia yelled as they spun like a whirling dervish, only aware of blurring colors around her and the suddenly frigid air.

"Alia, let go!" Deepfreeze's voice shouted across the grounds.

Hearing a fellow Hunter's voice, Alia allowed herself to listen, and she let go, whirling off of Sting.

She groaned from a sickening impact as something slammed into her toward the wall, and cement and metal cracked and dented from something behind her. Alia blinked, and looked up to see Deepfreeze holding her by the waist with one arm, his other limbs stuck to the wall by frozen masses of ice. His optics were locked on Sting, still falling down.

A squad of Hunters was out on the ground, already firing at the falling Maverick.

"Nice save," Alia coughed out with her recovering respirator.

Deepfreeze gave her a smirk, and then somehow commanded the ice to shatter. They started to free fall, and Alia looked down with alarm, but just as quickly saw the ice Deepfreeze was blasting down below them. He created a slope they slid down, and both ran off the bottom on their own feet.

As her comrade kept firing at Sting, Alia pulled her back-up pistol from her pack, and aimed with the others.

Sting suddenly twist-flipped, and landed flawlessly on all fours amid a hail of plasma fire. The hunters were aiming well, but Sting was like a mad dancer, his body contorting and snapping into maddening positions that always kept him just out of harms way. Even the bursts of freezing energy from Deepfreeze couldn't actually grab hold of him.

With a twist and cackle, Sting whipped his tail toward the fortress. The spines shot out, and two Hunters dropped, clutching the paralyzing wounds the spines made.

"Keep him suppressed!" Deepfreeze roared, and then dashed to his left, toward the wall, still charging toward Sting as well.

Alia and the other two Hunters started to march forward, still firing. Sting continued his dance of insanity, laughing as his optics flickered everywhere under the streams of fire.

Deepfreeze, near the wall, suddenly fired up, as if shooting for the air over Sting's head randomly. He then leapt up, and kick-flipped off the wall, his boot round-house-kicking his own cryo-blast.

The disruption caused the blast to explode and spread early, forming a dome over Sting's position.

Deepfreeze twisted as he came down, Sting growled as the ice flooded down over him, and Alia and the others paused their fire for a moment.

Rising and aiming himself, Deepfreeze narrowed his eyes at the pile of ice. "That was too easy… Keep firing!"

All four of the opened up again, freezing blasts and plasma bolts tearing into the mass of frozen sludge.

A chunk of ice suddenly burst toward the wall, splattering there. The two Hunters and Alia aimed there instantly, but Deepfreeze charged for the main slush-pile again. "Distraction, keep focused!"

They re-aimed, but Alia's eyes watched Sting burst out of the ice, fold around Deepfreeze's attempted point-blank shot, and double-kick the ice-using Hunter straight to the gut.

Deepfreeze flew back and hit the wall with a shout, and Sting warped into his stealth just as the others could fire his direction again. They tried to follow the distortion, but they missed several times, and suddenly he was gone.

Deepfreeze slammed his fist into the wall beside him, growling in frustration. "Tricked like a green kid out of the camp," he muttered fiercely.

Alia came over to him, offering her hand. "We forced him off."

Deepfreeze got up with her help, but shook his head. "That wasn't a real fight. Not for him. Something is wrong."

Alia's worry returned. "He was a distraction?"

Other hunters were arriving at headquarters because of the alert. Specifically, X and Zero was dashing up to the pair that moment.

"What's going on?" Zero demanded, understandably short in his manner.

Alia saluted with Deepfreeze, and the cold Hunter answered, "Sting Chameleon made a play, and I failed to detain him, sir. However, I think he was just a distraction."

Zero and X were understandably concerned by the answer.

X asked, "Why do you say that?"

Deepfreeze looked at X meaningfully. "It was too easy to pin him as long as we did."

X started to rush for the building. "We need to secure everything sensitive! Data, equipment, communications!"

Alia and Deepfreeze immediately ran with him, and Zero touched his audio sensor as he started to run himself. "All units! Commander Zero – secure base. We believe we still have a Maverick incursion. Secure all data, communications, and gear. Get on it!"

As they ran, Alia touched her comm. "Dex, do you read any other holes in the sensors?"

The silence after her question made X, Deep, and herself share a worried look.

"Dex? Do you read?" she checked, growing fear in her voice.

"Where?" X and Deep asked at the same time.

"Command!"

They started dashing at full speed.

[Earlier…]

For Dex, Alia had only been gone a few moments when he knew something was wrong. The lights flickered in the command center. The lights never flickered. The power-grid was prioritized to keep this room going above all others.

Dex touched his comm. "Alia, Deepfreeze?" He didn't bother saying more, he could tell the comm was dead.

Standing up, he let his left arm convert into a buster, and he looked up and around, starting toward the door. He had to warn them that the command center was compromised.

Would he have time to warn anyone? This data was vital… _I have to cut the systems._

He diverted from the door, and moved toward the mainframe maintenance panel on the left wall.

"Not trying to run?"

Dex froze. It was a cold, rasping voice, both deep and almost like a mist in how lightly it trickled past his sensors. He twisted around, aiming his blaster behind himself.

"How brave."

He snapped to his right, his optics wide.

Still nothing.

"I smell the fear crystallizing your servos, boy."

That was right at his ear! Dex whipped around, and fired a shot before he thought. It blew up against the wall.

"Have you always worked a desk job? Or were just a bad field agent?"

"We'll see who's bad at what!" Dex snapped back, his audio-sensors revving high to try and localize the voice. It's source was changing too fast to be normal.

As he turned again, a hand clamped down around his blaster, and Dex's optics widened up to his right, right into a pair of green eyes. Eyes that were cold as ice, and sharp as blades.

It was like some kind of demon had appeared before him, bladed horns atop a crimson and blue head. The body was tall, but skeletal, barely armored.

"This better?" the flat faceplate below the eyes asked, powerful and haunting as before, but several times as loud with the source right there.

Dex roared, sending his fist toward that faceplate.

The demon pulled his head back, and caught the fist with a blur of motion from his other arm. Without hesitation, he twisted and yanked, pulling Dex over and down onto the flooring with a bang.

Leaning down into Dex's face, upside-down, the demon asked, "Have you suffered for the cause, child?" Ventilation tubes, almost like proboscis down the sides of the face, slowly hissed for respiration around Dex's head.

"No," Dex answered, keeping his manner hard and brave.

"Ah good, an honest Reploid after all. Then I have exquisite news. You're about to."

Dex shook his head, and his torso suddenly popped open on all of its maintenance access ports, his power core starting to flash brightly. "I'm a bad fighter, I know that, but I figure a power-core overload will still kill you… Boom Kuwanger."

The green eyes narrowed off-kilter, incredulous. "Only if you still have your control override servos in place."

Dex's eyes widened just before a flicker of motion between them.

All he could do was scream as sparks and fluids burst out of his frame.

[Now…]

The command center door snapped open, X, Alia, and Deepfreeze charging through. They halted as fast. Even Deepfreeze's optics widened in controlled horror at the scene before them.

Alia's mouth fell agape, and then she sank down to one knee, groaning in an ill manner.

X steeled himself, swallowing thickly, and stepped further out. In the center of the entry area was a mess of servo fluids and scorch marks. X knelt at the edge of it, and looked up, where it was smeared into a path all the way to the far side of the room, and out through a shorn hole in the wall.

Closing his eyes, X tilted his head as if to look over his shoulder. "His name again?"

"…Dex," Alia managed through her teeth. Her hair was down over her face this time, a fist pressed to the ground near her knee.

Deepfreeze took a moment to collect himself, and moved further out into the room. Other Hunters, including Zero, arrived a moment later, but quickly realized what was going on. Zero kept the room clear and left X and Alia alone for a moment.

Deepfreeze came near to the hole Kuwanger left, and sharpened his optics at it. "Razor-sharp cuts, not explosives. This kind of precision and speed. I'm thinking Boom, sir," he said clearly toward the front of the chamber.

X moved over, touching Alia's shoulder as Zero replied, "Seems right, yes." Sighing a bit, Zero looked down to the woman Reploid, and asked, "Can you give me a report, Alia?"

X wanted to intervene and remind them all what she had to be going through, but it was too important an event. That, and he knew Alia wanted to show herself stronger at any chance she could.

Alia slowly nodded, and stood up. "Roughly twenty minutes ago, sir, Dex and I noticed the security sensors on the Southeast wall were down. Since we had just examined those this morning, I wanted to confirm they weren't malfunctioning, while Dex notified Deepfreeze and his unit."

"Confirmed," Deepfreeze commented idly as he continued to examine the hole.

X distracted himself by going over to join Deepfreeze.

Zero nodded, "Go on."

"So I left."

"Alone?"

Alia twitch-cringed faintly. "…I didn't want anyone else in danger unnecessarily, sir. I ordered Dex to stay here and watch for security anomalies."

Zero's eyes tightened, but he waved for her to continue.

"So I got over to the sensors at the wall. Once there, I was engaged by Sting Chameleon."

X looked over at this. "Sting himself?"

Alia nodded, and Deepfreeze confirmed with, "My unit reached the scene after her battle had already started. She made a good show of herself."

Alia just looked down, her eyes squeezing shut.

Zero exhaled, pressing one fist to his lips, the other arm holding his elbow. "…So no one even realized Dex was missing until you arrived here just a few moments ago?"

"Correct," Alia shoved out of her throat.

Zero rubbed his buster-arm, and looked at Alia. "Chin up, Hunter. I need you to check the systems here for compromise."

Alia straightened her back. "Sir."

X watched her stoically move to her console and start examining it that moment. Sighing softly himself, he looked back to the hole with Deepfreeze.

"What do you make of it?"

Deep shrugged faintly. "I'd almost say smash and grab, but it makes no sense. Boom was always… Well, honestly, he's been disturbed since long before the war, X," the ice-using Hunter explained in a very quiet voice, giving X a meaningful look.

X raised an eyebrow. "I thought he was just a Hunter with clearance for experimental weapon system use. A very good record, but not much else on file."

Deep nodded a bit, looking out the hole to the open air. "The way he liked it. He was gen-1, X."

"The first wave Dr. Cain built on my template?" X confirmed, concerned at where Deep was going with this.

Deepfreeze affirmed with a nod, and then added, "One of the first combat-ready ones, too. He was put through a lot of testing. He was… talented, X. And so they experimented on him."

"Experimented on?" X checked, now upset. Dr. Cain would never have allowed it…

Deep nodded slowly. "He'd been turned over to an R&D team, X. They were… outside normal protocols. Dr. Cain only found out after the fact, which is how Boom got pulled back to us. Not before… some bad things happened, however. He came back… wrong, X."

"Are you saying he was a Maverick before the infection?" X asked in a bare whisper.

Deep shook his head. "No. But I do think that the infection may have finally finished snapping what was left him completely, X. If you're going to go after him, you be damn careful. He was one of the best in direct, one-on-one combat we ever had. Even Sigma was nervous if Boom ever went wayward."

X crossed his arms, his eyes tight at the view. "This does seem a bit more extreme than just… aggression."

"Sir!" Alia suddenly called. She was at Dex's station by this point.

Zero, X, and Deepfreeze all hurried over.

"I found a data-spike in this console's interface. I isolated it from the network first, but now that I have it running, I think it's a message," Alia explained quickly, gesturing to the screen.

Zero leaned in. "Show us."

She tapped a few controls, and the screen filled with a video feed.

Kuwanger's demonic head appeared, his optics smiling faintly. "Ah good, you're watching. You should know your little comm-officer put up a good show of himself. Willing to blow himself up to take me down and protect the files, I might add. Dex, I think his name is?

"Anyway, after I cut off his override controls… literally," he emphasized quietly while rubbing a hand along his bladed horn. Alia's fists clenched, but she remained quiet as he went on, "I took him captive. Oh yes, he's quite alive. Don't let the mess fool you.

"I've taken him to my own headquarters. I know some of you—I won't name names—consider it a point of honor to keep all of your friends alive and safe. I dare you to live up to that ideal. Come and claim him."

The signal cut there, and X bowed his head.

Alia firmly pulled the data spike out of the console. "I'll give the system a clean wipe, and scan for any network leaks, sir," she muttered.

X gave Zero a look, and Zero narrowed his eyes, but slowly looked to Alia again, "Alia?"

She blinked up at him.

"Leave the clean up to the other Hunters. I want you to draw up a plan of infiltration based on what we know of Boom's tower."

Her eyes lit up. "Really, sir?"

"Yes, get to it."

She bolted out of the room with renewed energy.

X tipped his head to Zero, and Deepfreeze moved off to direct the crews coming in to clean and repair the command center.

"You want to handle this, I assume?" Zero asked firmly, looking straight at the white-blue armored Reploid.

X nodded. "I do."

"And you do realize how heavily defended that damn tower is, right?"

"Of course."

Zero rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Our original plan was to just bring the entire thing down, and that's still the best way to handle that place. We all know that. I'll give Alia time to set up a plan, but we can't wait on this forever. If you want to hit that place, it has to be fast. Understood?"

X saluted. "Yes, sir."

Zero nodded out the door. "Go help her."

X full-dashed out.

[Waking up…]

Dex's optics slowly lifted open as he groaned. He knew he was suspended by his wrists, but he was too hazy to confirm if his feet were fettered as well, or just heavy from their own dead weight.

"Ah, welcome back."

Dex narrowed his gaze toward the blurry figure down and out from him. "Hostage…?" his voice sputtered a bit, trailing off from his systemic damage.

Kuwanger smiled with his eyes up at the suspended Reploid. Dex's plating was still open, with deep cuts and scorches throughout his torso. He was alive, but looked half-dead. "Only if you want to stretch that word a bit. I imagine they'll try to rescue you. At least the one I'm after, anyway."

"…X," Dex realized, closing his eyes.

"Ah very good. You can still think," Kuwanger muttered, moving around the hanging Hunter. "Logically speaking, they should just bring the tower down. I have plans for that eventuality, of course, but only the morbidly compassionate would actually want to rescue someone in this situation. It would be so much easier to just bring the tower down, wouldn't it?"

Dex just kept his mouth shut at this point. Either Kuwanger really did already know, or he was trying to get Dex to confirm it indirectly. The only way he could find this Maverick was to deny information, so that was his directive.

"Amusing that you clam up now," Kuwanger sighed, looking off. "I didn't do what I did to torture you, Hunter. I simply had to stop your power-core from detonating. The signs would have been too hard to disguise with the time allotted. Making X hunt a corpse would be amusing, but had too many risks of failure. The point I'm belaboring is this," he continued, suddenly _in front_ of Dex, hanging from the chains above him, eyes hovering just inches from his own, "if I wanted to cause you PAIN, you would still be screaming. Remember that."

Dex coughed a bit, and lifted his chin to face Kuwanger evenly. "I don't care. You're going down sooner or later. All they'll lose is one lab-tech, and you missed the better one of us there that night."

Kuwanger's optics sharpened… from a smile. He leaned so close Dex tilted his face away, cringing. Lifting his free hand, Kuwanger gripped the sides of Dex's face with a slow, crushing squeeze. It stopped short of damage, but was no less vice-like. Dex eyed him sideways.

"Do you know what the most sophisticated part of a Reploid's body is?"

"The CPU matrix," Dex whispered back, awkwardly around the crushing grip on his jaw.

"Body, not mind, boy, pay attention. Body, body, body!" Kuwanger rattled Dex for emphasis.

"…the face."

A fiendish smile shrank Kuwanger's eyes to glowing slits. "Top marks. Bonus question! Why?"

"To properly… simulate… human emotion. To make us… seem human… to the humans."

"Two for two! Excellent student!"

Kuwanger suddenly released Dex's face, but in two flickers of motion, he just as quickly held his bladed horns toward the Reploid's cheek as a boomerang in his hand. He had completely detached them from his head.

"Now… does a Reploid need his face to function?"

Dex closed his eyes. "No."

Kuwanger leaned in again, and this time the narrowness of his eyes was pure malice. His voice rushed out as a burning whisper, a rush of malevolent pain, "What do I seem to be missing?"

Dex opened his eyes, meeting Kuwanger's with grim acceptance. "Your face."

The malefic voice returned for a simple response.

"Top marks."

[Author's Note]

Yay, an on-time update! Told you I was still here, yes I did! I think the highlight of this chapter on its own is the fight between Alia and Sting Chameleon. While I wanted to put Alia in the role the games actually use for her, I didn't want to just toss her field-work background out the window entirely. The lady knows how to fight.

Getting to have Deepfreeze actually show off some skill, too, was a definite bonus for me. I personally love his little freeze-blast-kick combo (thus, why I put it in the fight, lol).

And Boom Kuwanger! I'm having a lot of fun with this crazy bot. I wanted to do something different with him, and not just a repeat of the fight with Chill Penguin earlier (which I'm very fond of, and didn't want to cheapen it or this one with a copy). Hopefully I've pulled off a somewhat tame Dr. Lector (Silence of the Lambs) in robot form.

Random note: Did you know Hannibal Lector was only on-screen for like 15 minutes in Silence of the Lambs? Talk about stealing the show.

See you all next time, for the thrilling conclusion (I couldn't resist) to the Kuwanger scenario.


	11. Chapter 10: The Tower

Chapter 10: "The Tower"

X crouched down to one knee, looking up at the tower Kuwanger called his base of operations. It was monumental, reaching up into the wispy, wind-swept clouds above. The dull color of its armored walls was only interrupted by battlements and catwalks, all bristling with automated defenses and battle bots.

He kept his audio contact internal to his systems, not actually speaking. "On-site, Alia. I'm uploading fresh sensor data to you. Does it confirm your hopes?"

Her voice replied, "Give me a moment to analyze… Yes! Alright, we're a go, X. Use the data-spike on the maintenance hatch of level three, and we're in."

X sprinted as silently as he could to the base of the tower. Sensor sweeps, marked by lights to aid the bots in visual scans, just swathed the path he'd taken a heart-beat later.

/X, do you read?/ a direct, encrypted signal reached X.

/Airstrike? What's wrong?/ X returned as he swiftly climbed up onto a ventilation system that gave just enough foothold.

/The other X-Hunters and I have been talking on our encrypted network. None of us have directly tackled Boom, but we do know he's a master of direct combat. Mamm—I mean Inferno had the most concerning point, though./

X flattened himself against the tower as a sensor wave passed along near the base. He quickly twisted to his left, and found a console, which he started to use as he replied on both channels, to Alia and Airstrike. "Alia, starting spike." /Airstrike, go on? It's a little tense here./

"Getting your grid-map ready," Alia replied. "Are you okay? I'm getting some strange code static on your signal."

/Kuwanger mastered a particular method of using a Reploid's servos and hydraulics for uniquely fast movements. The report was that he could appear to blink from one position to another./

X rolled his eyes at trying to carry on separate conversations at the same time. "Sorry, Alia. Possibly some minor jamming from the tower." The hatch opened, and he slipped inside directly. "Inside, send the map overlay." /So he can practically teleport? Alia's trying to decrypt the surprisingly classified logs on him from before his Hunter days, your information is about all we have./

"Sending data!" Alia reported.

/That's the story, anyway. Depthcharge wanted to recommend his torpedo system. If you can lock onto Boom's signature, his speed might not matter as much. Just… make sure you get out of the way. Airstrike out./

X kept moving through the ventilation tunnel he'd entered as Alia's data fed a wireframe overlay onto his view of his surroundings. He could see the entire complex at once, with a highlighted path.

"This should avoid most of the worst security, but it'll still be hard fighting. Of course, once you trip the alerts, it'll just get crazy," Alia explained, clearly working away at her console.

"Roger that. Any luck on Kuwanger's background?"

"It's progressing, but slowly. I wish we had more time. With how easily he infiltrated base, I… I'm grateful for your help, X, especially after what you told me Zero said, but if you get…"

"Alia, don't think about that right now. I've got what I need to get the job done. I just want to get the facts straight on this guy if possible."

"Yes, sir."

X continued on his way, clenching his jaw a bit. He hated to admit that Kuwanger made him nervous. The mess he made in headquarters, the reports of his speed and skill, and the very carefully managed fear of Reploids whose prowess he respected was all eating away at the back of his head.

It didn't help that information on Kuwanger was so limited. As he finally opened a hatch and dropped down into an actual hallway, X recalled that the only data they really had confirmed that Kuwanger had a curiously specific record. He didn't have the most Maverick kills in his time as a Hunter… but he had absolutely no failures. That was it. All they had was his kill or capture list, with confirmation that he'd never returned from a sortie in failure.

_He's careful, and smart,_ X extrapolated for himself. _He only strikes when he has everything in place already. And if he invited us in here, he knows we're coming. If he never failed at all, then he has to understand stealth. You can't always beat someone head-on, not with a perfect record._

Hearing a sound of something mechanical approaching from the next junction in the hall, X flattened against the wall, looking to his right, toward the opening.

A shield-bot stepped forward, mace-arm braced, but shield down and casually swaying. It was just patrolling.

X's colors snapped as his buster whirred into a different configuration, his arm simply stretching out to aim point-blank at the bot's back.

The bot started to twist, but was frozen over in a solid mass of ice in just a second. Only the barest whisper of crackling ice filled the hall.

X eased up, his colors and buster reverting, and he cracked a portion of the armor on its back open. With a little wince, he seemed to find what he needed, and just yanked softly. The bot's body gave a dying moan.

"I know you can't think or feel like a Reploid, but I just don't feel right blowing your head off when I can just turn you off. Can't be angry with you for obeying your programming, little one," he whispered, and eased further down the hall.

He hated how much he realized he was convincing himself of what he'd just said rather than feeling it. His instincts were getting violent, too used to fighting for his own life. That couldn't be his default. He needed the instincts, he knew that, but only in the right situation. Blowing an already disabled bot in half wasn't right, it was just brutality.

[Headquarters…]

Alia fed some fresh data to X on the building's lay-out, and then her attention snapped to a notice on her secondary screen. She quickly switched over to it.

"Finally! The background data. Here we go…" she muttered as she started to read it over.

Her face slackened, and then her eyes widened softly. "Oh G'd…"

Swallowing a weight in her throat that didn't exist, Alia made sure she analyzed the full data with speed only a Reploid could manage, and then she touched her comm. "X… I… I cracked the background data."

He paused in the new ventilation shaft he'd just climbed into. He could hear the nausea in her voice. "…What's wrong?"

"They tortured him, X. He was new off the line, back when thinking Reploids were just an upgrade of bots, with no rights. He discovered how to use a Reploid body in a unique way, he could… move incredibly fast. They took him in for study."

X's jaw clenched. "…Send me the data."

"X, it's… I have raw data for his speed, but I don't think you want to see it all—!"

"Send it." His voice was firm, not angry.

Alia closed her eyes, and then entered the commands.

[At the tower…]

X received the data, and he actually stumbled against the wall, his eyes squeezing shut.

They tore Kuwanger apart too slowly to kill him. He'd been a full-bodied, armored Reploid, just like X or any other. They took him apart down to his base systems, and kept testing him.

He never refused, but the interviews by the scientists showed it was because he didn't know he could, not because he wanted what was happening.

Still, he didn't turn on them. Dr. Cain learned of the experiments, and X was grateful for the documented feed. It had no audio, but he'd never seen Dr. Cain so furious. The rather young version of the doctor he knew so well was stamping his cane violently, roaring with such vigor his body was trembling.

The data afterward was psychological analysis continuing on even after Kuwanger became a Hunter.

X opened his eyes slowly. _He was too smart. They kept studying him, but he knew what was happening finally._

One particular feed was an interview between the psychological analyst and Kuwanger, face to face, across a table. Kuwanger seemed calm, polite, and even gently humorous. He seemed completely stable, even down to earth when he was asked about the torturous experiments.

But X saw it. Not the infection, no. He saw the rage boiling away behind those eyes. Controlled by an intellect X realized no one fully comprehended yet. Kuwanger couldn't be analyzed normally. Not anymore. He knew how analysis worked too well.

_That's how he did it. He's intuitive. He can read you and literally be where you were trying to go before you realized you were going there. My G'd, a Hunter like this turned Maverick… only his reclusive nature contained him. I have to get Dex out of here. Blowing the tower would never finish him._

"Alia," he said at last.

"Yes, X?"

"Send me the reports from the Mavericks he took down. The autopsy data."

"…Can I ask why?"

X kept moving, his fists clenching. "Because I won't be able to stop him before he hits me."

[The Control Center]

Kuwanger frowned, sitting at a large console with various screens raised above and ahead of him. The shadow of Dex was hanging up some distance behind him. The Maverick's eyes were scanning the various screens, his hands commanding a few of the displays to change. "We have their forces massing near the tower to bring it down, but no clear intruders yet. Hm."

He adjusted a few more settings, looked again. Then he narrowed his eyes. "I think you're better at infiltrating that I'd calculated, X. Or just lucky enough." His finger moved over, and pressed a large red button.

Alerts filled the tower instantly. Then Kuwanger touched another control. "Very good, X. I'm forced to rely on my estimations rather than documentation. To give you some incentive, know that Dex is indeed still alive. I imagine he wishes he wasn't, but… there you have it. Kuwanger out."

[Down in the tower…]

X blew apart three different hover-bots as he dashed past them, skidding to a halt out on one of the platforms halfway up the tower. More hover-bots and wall-crawlers were rushing down toward him as he looked up at a half-lowered ladder to the next level up. With a minor boost from his thrusters, he leapt, grabbed the ladder's lowest rung, and yanked himself up.

"Officially out of time!" he complained to the bots rushing down on him as he flipped up onto his feet from the ladder, firing into his wake. He heard a few bots blow up.

Alia's voice reached his audio sensor, "It looks like he hasn't locked the lift down. That may be part of his trap, though."

"I don't have time to mess with climbing the slow way, I'll have to chance it," X replied aloud, dashing into a hall, and then wall-kick-leaping up into another level through a repair hole in the ceiling.

Rushing around the next turn, he skidded to a halt. Laser-lines rigged to hovering blaster-drones were scattered across the expanse beyond, and he saw the lift at the far side. Shield-bots and hover-bots were also waiting near the end.

X looked down at his buster, stern, but thinking. He started to build energy as his colors shifted to a pinkish highlight over parts of his armor. The roller-shield configuration appeared as his buster shifted. With a dashing start, he 'fired'… enveloping himself in a bubble of whirling blue energy. He'd turned himself into the rotary shield.

He brute-forced the traps. The blasters opened fire as he tripped their signals, but nothing got through his bubble. Hover-bots even rushed in to charge him, but they blew apart on contact, X flying through the smoke and fire to step-kick the first shield-bot at the very end.

His bubble churned into the bot's shield, and dispersed finally, but it didn't stop him. X blew the heads off the closest two bots, and flew over their falling bodies to roll into the lift-shaft.

Charging up again, he released a fresh shield-bubble over himself, and looked up as the lift started to accelerate upward. It was moving too fast. In a way, it was a favor, but he knew the goal was to smash him into the upper limit.

Hover-bots came ripping down thanks to his rapid elevation, but his bubble tore them apart.

He was thankful he didn't have to worry about them directly, as he was rapidly occupied with dodging, rolling, and diving every which way to avoid spiked blocks that smashed into the elevator lift from above. That none of this slowed the elevator told him just how powerful the motors intending to crush him really were.

At last he saw the exit at the top level. It was rushing closer, and he knew he'd be thrown past it and smashed into the ceiling just beyond all too quickly. He'd have to use his full speed just to get into the little alcove with the door, which was, of course, sealed.

He braced on the side he needed, but had to roll away from another platform just as he reached the time he needed to dash. As a result, he was bursting forward while rolling, and drilled himself straight into the door. The elevator yanked his feet up in passing, but he succeeded.

As the elevator boomed into the ceiling, he found himself upside down, his back pressed to the sealed door. X took a moment to breathe faintly. "Little too close."

"You're okay!" Alia's sincerely panicked voice came to his ear.

"Y-yeah, just made it."

With his bubble dispersed by the hard bulkhead of the door and wall, X awkwardly climbed around inside the small opening with the door, and then started to use his flamethrower to flash-burn through the armored doorway.

The molten-fringed door flew out from his boot to the center, and X stepped out through the hole, into the chilled wind of the tower's upper-most levels. He looked up with a frown, buster ready, and realized he could see the ridge of the roof poking out high above. Just a few levels left.

Since it was so effective against most of the bots Kuwanger had chosen, X renewed his bubble-shield, and started his climb. Most of the defense turrets blew up as he charged them, and the hover-bots didn't seem to learn from their predecessors mistakes.

Leaping to hanging ladders, flipping around platforms, X kept climbing. If enough bots hit him to overload his shield, he blew them apart the old fashioned way, and reformed it.

Finally, he burst into the doorway of the highest platform he could reach by climbing. Turrets mounted on hover-pads using propeller systems started to descend around internal platforms and catwalks toward him. X looked up, his eyes sharpening at the sphere-lock door at the top.

"X, my signal is getting garbled badly already," Alia's crackling voice reached him. "I'm willing to bet his chamber is shielded. If you need more data, I have to find it now!"

X touched his ear as his buster began to charge, light pouring over his armored body. "You've done your part for Dex, Alia. Now it's my turn. Tell Zero to give me ten minutes."

"X, I can't just let them bring the tower down with both of you stuck in there…"

"Alia… those are the stakes we agreed to."

"…Yes, sir. And X?"

He blew apart the closest two turrets, and started to dash forward. "Yes?"

"…Thank you."

He wanted to reply, but the shielding of the tower cut the signal before he could make up his mind. He just nodded to himself, and kept rushing, firing away as he reached the first ramp onto the catwalk system.

He dashed, climbed, fired, and vaulted upward through the large chamber. It reached the ceiling of the tower itself, but there was a large chunk of the structure available yet for a side-mounted room. He knew that had to be Kuwanger's control center, and where Dex was being held.

At the last platform of the catwalks, X leapt clear over the railing from below, buster sweeping back for a panning barrage that ruptured weapon systems on three turrets. They blew up in his wake just as X landed to a crouch, his eyes focused on the sphere-lock.

Breathing a moment, X stood up, walked forward, and touched the lock. He wasn't surprised when it whirred through its process, and simply pulled open before him. He walked through the short hall, reached another sphere-lock door, and watched it open to pitch darkness.

X lightly hopped down into the chamber beyond. The door sealed shut, and only the mild glow of LEDs from the consoles lit the room at all. He saw a figure suspended by chains in the center, near the roof, and his jaw clenched at the smell of dried fluids.

"X, sir, you shouldn't have risked this. It's a trap!" Dex shouted through the darkness.

"He knew that before he came, boy," Kuwanger's voice rasped through the chamber with unnatural power. Almost like Chill Penguin's echoing taunts from the ice base.

X's colors shifted faintly, his buster articulating, the barrel leading the tip of a missile and cocking into ready-fire. "I found out what happened to you, Boom Kuwanger," X called out through the room, his eyes closed. His mind was feeding through the various wounds and kill shots of Kuwanger's old enemies. Locations, angles, methods…

"Oh, did you find a tragedy in the old records, X?"

"Yes. That's why I have to ask how you could do this to Dex? How can you do to another what was done to you?"

"You confuse my methods."

X's eyes flared. That was right behind him!

A shattering ram sent X flying forward as some vague lights finally turned on. X tucked into a roll, and whirled around, aiming on instinct, but only finding empty space.

He made the mistake of turning to look up at Dex in the light. His eyes widened with empathetic horror.

Dex's torso was torn open, and half of his face was now exposed servos and a disturbing wide, orb of an optic, no lid to disguise it. "Dex…"

Dex shook his head. "I'll be fine, X. Don't get—NO!"

X felt the air change to his left, and twisted while trying to dodge away, but all he could do was watch Kuwanger swipe at his left arm with the blade-boomerang off the top of his head.

It cut right through X's armor, and would have taken the limb off if he hadn't been falling away.

X tumbled away, rolling onto his feet, and watched Kuwanger simply flicker out of sight.

"Dex's structural damage is merely a lesson in practicality. For his sake, not yours," Kuwanger listed off casually, his voice bouncing off the walls.

X gripped his damaged arm. _Right through Dr. Light's armor. That blade must be insanely sharp. Alright, I can't play games with this. Time to get serious._ His eyes looked at the wound, but his irises glowed gently, his scanners revving to max. Any sign of Kuwanger's energy signature would help his missiles find the Maverick, now matter how fast he was.

"It's still torture, Boom," X called out firmly, letting his buster reform into a missile launcher from gripping his wound. "After what those scientists did to you, it just doesn't make sense. I saw how much you constrained your rage. It was justified, too, but you used to understand how important it was not to lose control. Don't you see the madness in what you're doing?"

Dex's remaining brow creased as he looked down at X. What kind of strategy was this? You couldn't reason with a Maverick. Especially not one as smart as Kuwanger.

"Don't you see the madness in what YOU are doing, X?" Kuwanger asked, directly above and behind X, a hand up ready to chop down, but not with a weapon.

X shouted, and dove to his left, just barely rushing out of the path of the downward strike that tore clear into the flooring.

Kuwanger looked over at him, slowly pulling his hand out of the ground. "Reasoning with a Maverick? We're known for ballistic aggression, X. That's foolish. You need to calculate, you need to plan."

X grimaced. _He's setting me up. I barely dodged that, but he wouldn't have missed. I'm too sloppy so far. Focus! He's setting me up for…_ his memory rushed through the data again. All the images, all the profiles. _What would I do? He's studied my methods, he knows me all too well now. Which one fits… Yes, that's it!_ His eyes flared, but with focus and determination this time. _The cut wasn't enough to get his signature, I need a solid one, so I need to get him good at least once. This has to work._

"At least you're trying to think, it seems," Kuwanger chided, admiring his talons of his left hand. "Ready for—" he suddenly flickered, X falling backward with crossed arms to defend his front, "—this!" Kuwanger finished from behind X, a sharp hand rushing in to stab straight into X's left flank.

But X's buster was there, under the arm, aiming straight into Kuwanger's chest.

Kuwanger's optics flared, but not before a point-blank missile blew up between the two of them.

X hand-flipped forward, twisting to face the dust cloud as his scanners absorbed the solid signature data.

Kuwanger stumbled back, his chest plate cracked and leaking light from his power core. His eyes weren't furious as they looked. No, they were focused with horrendous precision. X could almost see the incredibly mind whirling through response tactics.

X aimed, but snapped his arm out to the right, and fired wild with two missiles, his eyes locked on Kuwanger's from his bowed head.

Kuwanger flickered forward, and X feigned to his right, then boosted left. Kuwanger flickered into view, lunging with his blades in his left hand, following X's true path with his eyes. Their gazes met again.

The two missiles arced around tightly, yanked Dex's hanging form with their thrusters in passing, and came in at Kuwanger.

X caught his feet, skidding back, but his eyes widened again as he watched Kuwanger twist on one foot, and throw his boomerang wide.

It was a flawless gesture, the bladed weapon whirling out with speed and power in a tight, powerful arc. The missiles were cleaved, blowing up harmlessly away from Kuwanger behind and in front of him, the blade landing in his waiting, extended hand on the far side.

"Just because you're actually going to be a fight, doesn't mean you get to count me out, X," Kuwanger said in a cold, firm manner. "I am impressed, though. You adapted to a stunning amount of variables in a few seconds. Even for a Reploid's mind, that was a feat. You properly analyzed your own behavior, altered it, and I believe you studied my kills, yes?"

_Another set-up,_ X realized. _This fits to another of his targets._ He drew one foot back, braced his buster down near his flank, and lowered his body on spreading legs. "Of course."

Kuwanger's eyes smirked.

X's brow creased. _Damn, I may have done this too early. He might be re-calculating already._

If X was right, Kuwanger would feign to the left, then try to strike from the back-right, which X could easily fire toward with his cocked buster-arm. If X was wrong… _Wait, he'll want to draw me into my own mistake to confirm success. He'll start the same way, with the feint to the left. And if knows I'm looking back to the right… The most open part of my defense is straight behind me. Well… Alia will never forgive me if I'm wrong._

Kuwanger flickered, and X twisted, seeing him appear out to the forward left. X made sure he started to shift, as if to start firing that way. Kuwanger flickered again.

X extended his arm to the back-right… and instantly pitched and twisted, pulling his leg and buster-arm all the way around to aim toward what had been at his back, his eyes looking down his body as his free hand touched the ground for stability.

Kuwanger appeared, blade up in one hand, but his eyes were wide at the barrel already aiming at his face.

"Well played," Kuwanger managed, his eyes relaxing as the missiles fired.

The explosions shook the chamber, X rolling away, and firing three more times. Kuwanger was too dangerous to risk less than total victory. The core components should have been properly protected even under such an onslaught, but… X tried not to think about it.

Kuwanger was stumbling back as explosions tore his armored frame open. At his left shoulder, then his right hip, then his chest. Another took his right arm clean off, blade with it, and his eyes looked calmly down at the last one.

The explosions triggered his own power system into critical release, and power-converters up and down his surviving body started to rupture and explode, his body falling back as a chorus of fire and smoke.

X ran over, pried the blade-cutter out of Boom's hand, and leapt over to Dex, cutting him loose while catching him, and landing with the Reploid in his arms. Dex looked up at him, openly shocked.

"…You did it…"

X smiled wanly for his comrade. "You had the tougher job, Dex. I'm going to put you in repair-stasis, okay? I think you need it."

Dex nodded quietly, and let X lay him down. With the torso already torn open, it was morbidly easy to turn Dex into repair stasis, the injured Reploid seeming to just fall asleep. The one exposed eye was staring off in a blank, disturbing manner, and X felt compelled to angle the head away from him and Kuwanger's body.

With Dex safely unconscious, X ran back over, and pulled enough of the damaged torso open to find Kuwanger's core components. "In one piece… I'm grateful. Alright, Boom. You and I are going to have a talk later."

Storing the components in his personal storage space, X moved back over to Dex. "Now to signal base, and get you home, hero."

[Headquarters…]

Dex became aware again in the Hunter med-bay, and he let his damaged face smile. It was a relief, no doubt.

"Welcome back, stranger."

Dex focused down to his left, and found Alia with his smiling, if rather mangled face. "Boss. I'm touched you'd come check on a lowly tech."

Alia frowned sourly. "Hey now."

He chuckled, and offered his hand. She took his, giving it a squeeze. "Sorry for worrying you, Alia."

Alia laughed anxiously. "Worry me? I was coming to apologize. I thought you'd be… angry at me."

He blinked with the one that could. "Why?"

"If I'd just let you come with me like you thought, it would have been better for everyone. We might've gotten Sting Chameleon, and… this wouldn't have happened."

Dex shook his head. "Then Kuwanger would have had free access to all the data. I'm glad I was there. I'm just sorry I failed to stop him. Not that I ever wanted a field job, but I definitely have no doubts a desk job is for me now."

The morbid humor struck a chord, and they both chuckled.

"You're sure you're not angry with me, Dex? You've… been through so much."

Dex shrugged. "Just structural damage. Hurt like hell, but he never put my life in actual danger. I was just a hostage with weird circumstances, really. And, honestly, he had some thought-provoking points."

Alia's concern was obvious. "What do you mean?"

Dex gestured at his face. "I don't really need to look human like this. I'm fine without it. I'm going to ask them to give me a visor-optics unit and armor mask, I think."

Alia pouted. "D-Dex…"

He half-smiled. "Alia, it's okay. It's not stockholme syndrome or anything. He was nuts, but not completely. I heard him and X talking in the fight. He went through some serious pain before ever being a Maverick. Just an experiment for myself, see how I feel with a robotic face instead, you know?"

"You're sure?"

Dex nodded.

"If that's what you want. I'll make sure the techs know."

He smiled again, grateful. "And I see what you meant about X now. He's one hell of a fighter."

Alia laughed. "Certainly left me feeling like a helpless kid."

"Bah, please. You were taking on an enemy base. If anyone is the helpless kid here, it's ME!"

They both laughed at the absurdity of the point.

"If you see him before I do, thank him for me?" Dex asked lightly.

Alia smiled. "Of course. He'll say not to worry about it, but I had to do the same anyway."

He offered his hand again, and she shook it.

"Take care of yourself, Alia."

"You, too, Dex. I mean it."

He winked with the functional eye, and she stood up. She gave a last wave before she stepped out of the med-bay proper.

Once outside, she looked down thoughtfully. It was strange how X had changed. From a completely new recruit to one of the best combatants they had, already defeating the best-turned-Maverick. To fight Kuwanger one on one, and come out victorious was no small feat.

It didn't help that he always seemed to be hiding something, too. It both worried her, and didn't. She trusted him, probably more than she should've with how little they knew about each other, but he was definitely keeping secrets. From everyone.

"I just wonder what you're up to, X," Alia whispered to herself, walking down the hall.

[The hideout…]

The display powered up in front of X in the hideout. This time Airstrike and Inferno were there, Airstrike casually leaning against a wall to one side, Inferno standing with arms crossed, but fully attentive.

The holographic display of Boom Kuwanger fully materialized, and showed a quizzical expression. "Unexpected turn of events…"

X smiled a bit. "Welcome back, Boom. How do you feel?"

"Disembodied," Kuwanger answered, giving X a bland look.

Airstrike chuckled. "You're more humorous than I remember, Boom."

"Airstrike, a new Hunter. How do we know each other?"

Airstrike smirked, and said, "I'm Storm Eagle."

Boom's face slackened instantly, and then focused on X with renewed interest. "You know."

X tipped his head. "We're keeping it secret for now. We have to find the source of the virus and stop it there. In the mean time, there's a war to stop, too. I wanted to talk to you in particular, because of what happened with Dex. You, of anyone, were the most in control of your faculties while infected."

"Concerned I'll be dangerous even clean. Yes, understandable," Kuwanger seemed to mutter to himself. "You studied my locked biographical data, yes?"

"Yes. Sorry for the violation of your privacy, but it was—?"

"Necessary, agreed. Yes, X, to answer your question from before, I was furious, but controlled it. I controlled it because Dr. Cain coming to my aid proved even to my damaged mind that not ALL humans were monsters. Since I could never be allowed to hunt human monsters, I chose to hunt Reploid monsters. The virus simply fed on my anger, yes, but as for Dex…" finally a pained tone joined his simple recitation of events. "…Is he recovering?"

Inferno answered, "Yes. Oddly, he's opted to have his facial structure made fully robotic. An experiment, I believe Alia said it was."

"Intriguing response to trauma. Hm, perhaps he's trying to use intellectual stimuli to master the trauma directly. Face the fear to control it. Possible. Also possibly just managing with a defense mechanism so he can hide even from his own reflection. Will require observation."

X smiled a bit. "I rather like your style, Boom."

"Call me Kuwanger, please. If we're being polite about it."

"Sure. Sorry to bother you."

The image shrugged. "Minor, just a preference. The point, to return to it abruptly, yes, is that I would not repeat those attacks of my own will. Yes, it was fueled by my real memories, but it was not my action. Logical?"

X nodded. "Now… do you want a chance to help?"

Kuwanger nodded up at the other two in the room. "Undercover as well? New identity, secret team?"

"Exactly."

"Yes, I want to help. The trauma of my past was a source of honor before, now it appears I used it to justify evil. I want to work against that. I want my honor back, X. I will help. However, I should probably know the full plan before I start mucking about, yes?"

All three of the Reploids watching the screen smiled, and X nodded. "I'll be happy to explain. Welcome aboard, Kuwanger."

Inferno leaned in, "What do you want your new name to be, though?"

Kuwanger chuckled. "Quickman."

Airstrike and Inferno burst out laughing, and X stared at the screen. "You're serious?"

"I even have a childish personality to put on for it. I'll be the most effective, annoying fan-boy you've ever seen!"

"Let him!" Inferno bellowed, laughing still. "I have to see this!"

"You really want to be named after one of the old Wily robots?" X confirmed, both amused and confused.

"Oooh, yes. I'm going to have a lot of fun with this!"

[Author's Note]

Sorry for the delay in updating once again. I really appreciate the reviews thus far. They keep me going. You likely would've been waiting longer if not for those awesome reviews guilt-tripping me *wink*.

Honestly, this chapter is all about Kuwanger. Showing off his personality and pathos, his skill and how bad-ass I always thought he could be. Honestly, in the game, he felt like a toss-in. I didn't really feel a plot connection other than 'he's next on the list'. Yet his skills were unique and powerful. So I decided to play on that.

Also, Mass Effect fans who may already suspect this, yes, he's sounding like Mordin Solus in that last scene. The true, balanced Kuwanger is a technical genius with high-end combat capacity. I also love Mordin Solus and his character, so I blended a few aspects together here. Hopefully it comes off as less a direct rip-off, and more homage to a great character without Kuwanger losing his own edge.


	12. Chapter 11: Forest Assault

Chapter 11: "Forest Assault"

Zero frowned faintly as he looked out over the training range from the protected viewing deck. "These two are recommendations from X, right?"

Alia was sitting at a console behind and to his left, doing the technical side of the monitoring. Energy graphs, map-models, bio-data were all filtering down her screens as she answered, "Yes, sir. Apparently he likes to scan over the records of the trainees, and forwards recommendations. Can't argue with the results so far."

Zero conceded wryly with an overdone tip of his head. "Oh, no doubt. That's why I'm getting a little edgy around him. These two are fighting like veterans. Hell, I think I'm getting ideas watching THEM."

Down below, a replica battlefield of dirt, uneven hills, cement ruins, and mobile target dummies spanned the large chamber. Some of the targets were shaped uniquely, and others were full hologram images that could change and react to the training charges the two Reploids were using.

Just around a wall of jagged cement, a hologram of an unarmed civilian surrounded by at least six hostile bot-holograms suddenly exploded with activity.

The dirt pulsed on either side of the group. Only a few of the bots twisted to examine the small devices that had landed.

A volley of spiraling missiles blew apart the central mass of bots, their own velocity carrying the explosions safely away from the civilian. The little devices that had landed on either side suddenly pulsed with red light along fine lines on their sides, and exploded with focused detonations, erasing the bots that had turned to them.

The civilian was utterly unharmed.

Skidding over the wall, a large Reploid landed heavily on his blue-green boots, and charged to the civilian hologram, where he ducked down, touching the image generator to get credit for the rescue.

He was a broad Reploid, with powerful arms and legs, a slender lower-abdomen, but then massive shoulders that curved up over his head. His head itself was forward-mounted from a slightly angled neck-base of hefty hydraulics. His face was a vented mask under pale blue eyes and a finned, back-slanted helmet.

He touched his audio sensor, and reported in a filtered, deep voice, "Depthcharge reporting. Four civilians confirmed safe."

"Copy," a rasped, fast voice answered. "Mission data was mistaken. I've got visual on five more civilians. Repeat: five more civilians."

Depthcharge's eyes sharpened with as much of a frown as his face could show. "More than were on the transport vehicle the Mavericks raided. Think we can draw away the hostiles and isolate the civilians? I'm thinking we've got plants."

"You pull the West side, I'll… cut the right down to size."

Depth chuckled, and then shifted forward with astonishing speed and stealth for his bulky frame. "Copy, en route."

[Observation]

Alia raised her eyebrows. "Wow. They're onto it already. This test nearly failed me because I just assumed the civilians were from another transport."

Zero chuckled. "I recall you adapted quickly."

"Yeah, well, having a little girl pull a pulse-cannon on your gets your priorities straight real quick, sir."

Zero controlled his humor so he could watch properly, but his eyes were still glimmering with mirth as he did.

[On the field]

The five civilian holograms were kneeling, surrounded by ten hostile bot-holograms. A cement wall ran along behind them, a lower, waist-height portion around to their left, and jagged hills beyond.

Two of the bots to their forward right suddenly blew apart from missiles. The direction of the attack was obvious, but it also forced even the wreckage to fly away from the civilians rather than risk raining shrapnel on them.

Depth ran strafing out from behind a hill, his right arm forming a special buster with a tri-barrel missile-launcher in place of his hand. It revved, and he fired more shots, but they went harmlessly over the group's heads.

Several bots diverted, and rushed after him. Depth fired more precise shots, blew one more up at a safe distance from the civilians, and ran further afield, letting the bots chase him.

Before the remaining four bots behind the civilians could re-position, a strange whistle rippled on the air.

Shearing metal sounded in a staccato rhythm, and only then was a silver streak visible far out on the right side of the group, starting to arc back toward them from already passing by.

The bots simply fell apart, dropping like stones in pieces.

The streaking metal in the air shot back, and was caught with effortless ease in a sharp, crimson claw.

Leaping down over the shorter wall, a tall, sleek Reploid replaced the cutting boomerang on his forehead over his blazing yellow optics, which were solid, glowing devices rather than human-like eyes. His silver, mechanical lower face had lips, but they were fully metal in segmented plates.

He smiled as he walked up, practically sauntering, his hot-rod-red and black frame glistening in the light of the training grounds. His forearms and boots were sleek and curvilinear, but his shoulders, torso, and head were intricate, vented, ridged, and had coolant pipes in place of ribs and edging.

He approached from straight on to the left side of the line of civilians. "Are any of you injured?" he asked almost casually.

The distant sound of more explosions reached his audio sensors. Depth's final success against the bots he took with him, no doubt.

His optics flashed as one of the civilians suddenly rolled backward.

The crimson Reploid dove toward that civilian.

Another, the last in the line, started to stand and turn, lifting a massive plasma weapon up in its arms.

A missile came arcing around the hill from Depth's direction, and hit the gun upward without detonating.

At the same time, the crimson Reploid tackled the other fake civilian to the ground, restraining him with one hand down on both of its wrists. He flipped over himself, and swept his claw across the cannon the other was just trying to re-aim, letting it fall in half in the hologram's hands.

And Depth came leaping over the hill, crashing down behind the standing fake, his missiles aimed point-black as his free hand grabbed it by the scruff. "Stand down."

A loud buzzer sounded, and the holograms all winked off.

Both Reploids blinked, and relaxed upright. The red one dusted off his claws, and muttered, "Didn't even let us finish rescuing the hostages…"

"Easy now," Depth reminded him with a calming gesture of one hand.

Zero came striding up from the hill Depth had just used. He was actually clapping. "Now that was impressive. You didn't just rescue the hostages, but you apprehended the fakes instead of destroying them. Exactly the kind of approach we want." He stopped, hands on his hips.

Depth and the red one saluted properly, but they could both see the odd edge in Zero's eyes. "Did we do something wrong, though, sir?" Depth voiced the question.

Zero shook his head. "No. However, I do want to ask if you know why you got fast-tracked?"

The red one grinned. "We've heard some rumors about that, sir."

"Which reminds me," Zero began, tipping his head toward the crimson Reploid. "You really go by Quickman?"

"Hey now," Quickman started, striking a pose, and caressing his cutter on his forehead like he was slicking back hair, "Wily-made or not, you gotta admit that bot had style. Don't worry, boss. I'm a team player. Just like adding a little of my own flare to the mix, too, ya know?"

Depth was eyeing his companion with mild apprehension. _Is that really Kuwanger? I'm not sure which part scares me more. That he could act this way so believably, or someone could sneak into this situation…_

Zero sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Why do I get the feeling I'm going to get a lot of headaches because of you, Quick?"

"Quick…?" the red Reploid began expectantly.

Zero turned dismal, and this time Depth sighed into one hand.

Quickman just flexed his optic ridges up to persist.

"…QuickMAN," Zero managed through intense aggravation.

"That's the one! Now why would you think that, sir? I'm hurt. Truly!"

Zero groaned. "Your records are solid, and I can't fault anything in your test results today. Report to Lieutenant Alia at the exit for squad assignment, rookies."

"Booyah!" Quickman proclaimed, even doing an arm pump before he and Depthcharge could move around Zero.

Past the hunter commander, Depth gave Quickman a very real stern look. Quickman just flashed a decidedly more wicked grin, and continued trotting along.

[Elsewhere in Headquarters]

X was sitting at a small desk in a private room at headquarters. He seemed a bit awkward, shifting in the chair periodically, but was working away at the computer there.

When his door chimed, he looked up in mild surprise. "Come in?"

With a hydraulic hiss, the door revealed Alia leaning in playfully. "Private office, huh? You're moving right on up the ranks, sir."

X chuckled, but scratched the back of his helmet. "I don't see much point to this, but it lets me focus on some of the paperwork for a change. Though I just realized calling it 'paperwork' is a bit of a misnomer," he finished distantly, glancing off with a moue on his lips.

Alia smiled broadly, and stepped inside, letting the door close. "Thought you'd like to know how your recommendations faired in the tests."

He perked up. "Oh! Yes, please!"

Alia giggled, and lifted her datapad. "Can I just say something personal?"

X blinked. "Sure?"

"Quickman? Really?"

He laughed, relaxing immediately. "He's a character, I'll admit, but can't argue with his results, right?"

She gave an exaggerated nod. "Entirely true, sir. In fact, both Quickman and Depthcharge are off the charts in terms of aptitude scores. They fight like veterans, to be honest. They didn't even fall for the fake hostages trick for a second."

X grinned, but he was privately a little anxious. _That's because Chill helped write the original test, and they refined it for him. Is it too much to ask to pretend to be a little green, guys?_ "Wow, really? That's impressive, alright."

Alia half-smiled at him. "As if you didn't know already. Anyway! I've sorted them into squads four and eleven. Both teams needed an edge after… well, we lost some good hunters in the last few skirmishes."

More somber, X nodded. "…About squad four…"

Alia gave him a calming smile. "Completely rebuilt. The squad I led is a thing of the past, X. For good or ill."

"Sorry, that was probably a bad thing to bring up."

She shook her head. "Hey, it means we met, right?"

They were both smiling at that idea, each telling themselves the glow in the other's eyes was a trick of their own imagination.

Trying to distract herself before she said or did something embarrassing, Alia only then noticed the little picture frame on X's desk. She blinked out of her revere.

X caught her look, and glanced to it himself.

Alia couldn't see the image yet. It was the woman who had died in his arms during the first major battle in the city. She was smiling in the image, dressed in a flattering turtleneck with trees in the background.

"This?" X chose to offer, lifting the picture up toward Alia.

Blushing a bit, Alia lowered her datapad. "S-sorry, I didn't mean to stare. I just noticed it all of a sudden…" she trailed off as he lifted it to her free hand, and she took it.

The woman was lovely, and had a very serene look to her. "She's beautiful." Alia didn't like the jealous stab at the back of her mind.

X smiled gently. "I think so, too. It's just a reminder to me. Keeps me on the path, you know?"

Alia looked up at him. There was a strange depth to his eyes this time. It looked like pain, but also something good, something positive. "…May I ask who she is?"

"Her name was Jessica Hanson. I found her during the battle downtown, just before I joined the Hunters officially. I couldn't get her the help she needed. Afterward, I looked up any information I could, and learned about her. She was single, orphaned. No family, no relations to notify. She had just moved to the city, so if she had any friends somewhere else, I lost that information to the damage from the attacks."

Alia's eyes widened a bit, and she carefully put the picture down for him. "I'm sorry, X. I didn't realize…"

He shook his head. "You did nothing wrong, Alia. This woman, Jessica," he picked the image up, holding it with both hands, his eyes looking into the frozen eyes of the picture, "was completely innocent. She was just doing her job, living her life… and she was killed for it. Murdered for no reason at all. That is what I'm fighting. That madness. I know it's crazy, but I think part of me wants her to be the last martyr this cause has."

Alia eased closer, and reached across the desk, touching his shoulder. It called his eyes up to hers.

"Do you blame yourself?"

He nodded. "There are so many things I could have done to save her. Little things, simple things. I need to make sure that isn't the reason someone else dies. If there is anything I can do, I must do it."

Alia gripped his shoulder more securely. "I hear what you're saying, X, but you can't let it be guilt. Fight for her memory, by all means, but don't see yourself as the cause."

X gave her a wan smile. "You are very kind, Alia. It's not that I see myself as her killer. I see myself as her protector, who failed.

"It's so delicate, Alia," he continued. "This world, life, peace. Just by living day to day, normal people are showing an implicit trust in protection. They have to. No one could live in peace if they actually let themselves realize how much danger they were always in. I just want to be worthy of that trust. I want to make that kind of peace possible again. I want the mindless killing to stop."

Alia's face softened, and she finally eased upright again. "So that's the drive."

X tilted his head, curious.

"When you saved my life, I saw this… power and focus in you that I immediately admired and respected. Envied, truthfully. I'd wondered what would cause that. You just explained it." She smiled a little.

X gave a gentle laugh. "I didn't mean to be make it a big mystery, sorry. Besides, you have that, too, Alia."

She gave him a dry look. "How do you figure?"

He put the picture down, and waved to the seat beside her. "I think your report's over, lieutenant. Relax a bit."

They shared the idle humor of his tone, and she sank into the chair casually, flicking her eyebrows up to repeat her question.

X answered, "You fought through hell before I ever got to you that day, Alia. You have an excellent record, strong command skills. The horrible nature of our job means that mistakes cost lives, but we all makes mistakes. I accepted your reasons for changing to tech, but you also fought Sting Chameleon single-handed, and you very nearly had him."

"He was just stalling, X," Alia had to point out, tilting her head down and eyeing him.

X shook his head. "Mavericks don't just stall, Alia."

There was a grim power in his voice and eyes as he said it. It gave her pause.

He continued, "That their plan was to distract from Kuwanger's attack on the command center is true, yes. Sting was there to kill anyone who came to that security hole. That's the nature of a Maverick, blinding aggression, mind-boggling hatred. Honestly, the fact that Sigma's lieutenants aren't just mindless berserkers is the frightening part, because that's how strong their minds were before… well, let's just say before he got to them."

Alia glanced down to the side. "I don't know, X. I don't feel very driven. I feel… guilty."

"And that little speech you just gave me?" he challenged with some humor.

She smirked up at him. "It's a little different, X."

"I don't think it is, Alia. You told me that you made bad calls, and your people died. I'll accept what you've said is true. The point is that you made the calls you thought were best, and you did so to try to save lives. You have new perspective now, yes, but it doesn't change who you are. Honestly, Alia, you're exactly the type of Hunter we need more of. You still _care_ what happens to the ones in front of you."

Alia's face softened, sorrowed. "You really think so?"

X nodded. "Absolutely."

"…I'll think about what you've said. I do rather like working tech," she added in good humor, energy back in her beautiful eyes.

"Then that's wonderful. You're rock solid at it. The way you process and decipher information into actionable intel is… I really respect your skill," X finally chose to finish, smiling a bit.

Alia flushed lightly. "Thanks, X." She started to stand up. "And thanks for talking with me. I appreciate it. And I'm honored by your respect."

X stood up, offering his hand. "The honor's mine, Alia."

After they shook hands, Alia pulled her datapad back up, "Can I ask your opinion of something more business related, since I'm here?" She cringed a bit as she asked, not wanting to blow off the gentle mood they'd enjoyed.

X nodded. "Of course. What's up?"

She tapped her pad, and nodded to his console. X sat down, loading up a profile entry.

"Magma Dragoon?" X confirmed, glancing up at her.

"Yes. His aptitude is incredibly high, like your own recommendations. I'll admit I was checking over the recruits myself since you so obviously do it," she added with a little glance to the side and faint blush.

X chuckled, but turned serious as he read down. "…The behavioral markers?"

Serious as well, Alia nodded. "Exactly. I'm… concerned."

X nodded, reading closely. "Incredibly smart, but also rather violent. He likes fighting. Can't deny his skill, but… that's a bad mix."

"In particular for a Hunter, I thought. Reploids have plenty of valid combat applications, but putting someone like that in our front-lines feels like tossing a powder-keg into a flint-factory."

"Exactly," X agreed, nodding again as he continued to read. _More so, he'd be a prime infection candidate for the virus. Already dangerously aggressive. He's clean so far, but he's toeing the line already._ "…Alia, I'm authorizing you to use my signature to discretely recommend him for directed psychological testing. We need to pin down his emotional and moral configuration. We need to know how he actually thinks. If that looks clean enough… he's too good a fighter to turn him away."

She smiled. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate the help."

"Not at all. Thank you for the catch. More good work, as always."

She blushed again. "X…" She turned serious abruptly, as if just realizing something.

X blinked. "You okay?"

Alia looked into his eyes again. "I realized… Thank you for helping with Dex. I know you're the only real reason we got him out alive after all. I know what you put on the line for that, too."

He smiled, and just said, "You'd've done the same, Alia."

She relaxed into a kind smile. "…I hope so."

"Good work. Be safe out there."

She tipped her head, waving pleasantly, and hurried out of his office.

[Later…]

A silent red-alarm was filling the halls of Maverick Hunter HQ an all-too-short time later. X and Alia met at the doors to the command center, a bit surprised in each case, but they wasted no time getting inside.

Zero and Dr. Cain were on the far side of the main console, several other squad-leaders gathered around.

"What's going on?" X began, looking down at the holographic display. It clearly showed the forested region Sting Chameleon occupied, with a blinking light in the midst of the simulated trees.

Dr. Cain answered, "One of the squads on duty to hold Sting Chameleon's forces within the containment perimeter was starting their scheduled check-in when the signal went silent. Not dead, completely silent."

Alia's attention focused. "You mean the connection was confirmed, but no sound came through?"

"We could hear the forest's ambient sounds," Zero answered with a dark set his jaw.

Alia looked down at the display, her hands gripping the edges of the table. "…That's basically declaring them captured."

"How many Reploids were in that group?" X asked next.

"Twenty," Dr. Cain answered.

Another Hunter leader, a tall Reploid with red and white coloring, looked to X with a grim expression under her green optics, "One of our better teams on the field, too. They're not the type to underestimate an enemy, either. If they were truly overcome, it was fast and hard. That's not my only concern, though."

X's brow creased. "What is?"

"That we got this signal, at the exact right time, means that the enemy knew their schedule."

"So you mean to tell me that not only are twenty good Reploids missing and possibly dead, but that we might have a leak?" X confirmed, his eyes blazing.

Zero spoke again, "We can't be sure of that much. Our squads had a set schedule, it's possible with close observation someone would deduce that much. It does mean someone was watching closely the whole time, however."

"I may have something on that, sir?"

A couple of the hunters to Zero's right stepped back, and let another Reploid step through. By his armor and size, it was obviously Dex, but the heavily filtered voice had masked his identity at first. Standing there, his completely solid face-plate and unblinking, green optics were revealed fully. Alia and X shared a look, but didn't speak yet.

Dex lifted a datapad, clearly reminding himself of specific data. "To avoid security problems, we kept the teams on a cycle for the schedules. Over the course of the last week, we received reports as normal, but on several of them, there was strange interference. I made a note of it after the third occurrence. Honestly, I assumed a new type of signal jamming was being tested, but that's obviously a non-issue. The point is that when I compared the data specifically after this probable attack, it becomes clear that the same signal in terms of _schedule_ was hit with the interference each time. It hit every team. This was the first repeat in our cycle."

X crossed his arms, nodding. "A former hunter of Sting's skill and knowledge would be able to put that kind of data together, and mount an attack."

Alia rubbed a temple. "So the very thing we used to make sure they were safe wound up…"

Zero straightened. "Lesson learned. We're assuming worst case scenario here, people."

Everyone perked up, his voice rising to give immediate orders.

"I want the on-site forces to secure the perimeter and lock it down for siege. We're mobilizing a full assault on the forest area Sting is using."

X couldn't remain silent. "Shouldn't we be mounting a recovery mission first and foremost?"

Zero slammed his fist onto the console, freezing the room for a moment. "We're blasting our way into that damn nest, and we're finishing this! I want our people back, too, X, but we're done taking half-measures." To the room, he finished, "You heard me, people, MOVE!"

As the forces started to scatter to their tasks, Zero marched around to X as Dr. Cain watched quietly.

X stood his ground, and realized Alia was holding back near him, not leaving yet.

"X, you really need to learn to trust me," Zero began in a quiet rush at X's face. "We can't let a massive hit like this go without a full response. However… I want you to deploy ahead. Find the people we lost, and if you can, get them out. If you can't… I think you know."

X's eyes widened, and then he found himself smiling. "Thank you, Zero."

Zero then looked past X with a wry glare. "Since you're going to do it anyway, operate for him, Alia."

She blushed, but flashed a smile, saluted, and hurried over to her console.

X bolted as well, dashing at full speed through the opening door.

Dr. Cain joined Zero at last, giving him a frank stare. "You've done quite a turnabout. Why are you enabling him?"

Zero sighed, rubbing the ridge of his helmet over his eyes. "He's been too successful to argue against, and he'll do it anyway. I'm containing the chaos by giving him an official channel. At this point, he has to suffer a catastrophe for us to put the collar on properly."

Dr. Cain gave a sigh of his own, nodding. "True enough. I think I'm already grieving for when that happens."

"Let's hope that's the only thing we're grieving," Zero muttered, moving back around to start guiding the operation.

[In the Forest…]

Already deployed to the forest area, X communicated with Alia internally, his mouth not moving or actually generating words as he spoke with her. "Looking over the data for the siege so far, it's looking strange to me. Sting has shown us large numbers of battle bots, but systematically released territory to us as we pushed."

Alia nodded to herself as she worked away at her console in headquarters. "And it has drawn our forces into a very confined area now. I think we were so relieved to be seeing progress, we didn't stop to think as much as we should have. Also, have you studied Sting's profile."

"Extensively. A gifted tactician and technology expert," X replied as he quietly slipped through some brush, his eyes scanning for movement. "What I found odd was his penchant for direct confrontation despite his talents for stealth. He even perfected the cloaking tech they added to his body after the fact."

"That's what worries me," Alia continued. "The only reason I wasn't already dead during the attack on HQ was his quirk to reveal himself to his target."

"Give yourself some credit, Alia…"

"I sensed something, yeah, but I wouldn't have reacted enough. His lack of appearance at the capture of our team is conspicuous. This is all smelling like set-up. For everyone."

X's lips pressed to a line. _I agree with her. And the virus may be driving his aggression beyond normal, which means he should want to show himself for a direct fight MORE, not less._

He had to pause then. Deep in the heart of Sting's territory already, he'd come to a cliff-edge that was near the maverick's well-hidden headquarters. They only knew so much because his forces radiated out from this central point. X was already much further in than his brief mission to collect the armor-piece from Dr. Light's capsule.

In the hopes of finding signs of the captured team, he'd started near their last known location, and ventured in from there. All the while, not a trace of them.

Kneeling down, allowing a brief dream of appreciation for the beautiful view, X privately comm'd Alia once again. "I'm near the dead center of his known territory, and I haven't found a trail yet. How could he seize the bodies of a team of Reploids, and leave nothing?"

"I've been thinking about that once you confirmed the lack of evidence. It means, logically, they were either air-lifted out directly… or taken underground."

X's eyes widened. "Technology expert… Alia, warn the invasion force! He's got tunnels under the entire area! That's why he's drawing us in!"

Alia twisted away from her console. "Zero, sir! It has to be tunnels! We're sending the invasion into a massive ambush!"

Zero sharpened his eyes toward her. "You're sure?"

Alia hesitated for a core-pulse, then firmed, and nodded.

Zero bit off a curse, and opened the general comm. "All Hunters, hold position. Repeat: Hold position. The enemy has a tunnel network throughout the area. Get your geological scanners going, and start finding those tunnels."

X and Alia listened intently, X himself trying to rev his own scanners with a hand to the ground.

"Can't find anything, sir," one voice began.

"Confirmed, sensors are picking up natural rock for dozens of meters down."

Zero looked over to Alia, who quickly blitzed her hands over her controls, pulling up maps, data entries, technological read-outs.

X frowned. It was the only answer that made any sense.

"Still using that pathetic encryption suite. I had it cracked in about two hours, you know?"

X dove forward, rolling and twisting. He snapped upright with his buster aimed toward the trees, his left boot just against the edge of the cliff.

Sting Chameleon smiled as his body poured out of the air. He was clinging to the tree that had been over X's head, upside-down.

X touched his ear. "Alia! He's cracked comms…" he trailed off as he realized he was just getting tons of static.

Sting continued to smile. "That's right. Jamming initiated. For what it's worth, you're right. Kilometers of tunnels. Armadillo's mining technology, constructed with Flame's factory, powered by Mandrill's re-routed generators. Oh… and my new stealth systems to hide the entire facility. By the time everyone realizes you were completely correct, they'll already be captured."

X's expression remained rigidly focused. "Unless I get your command codes."

Sting's face seemed to peel apart as his grin widened, metallic teeth and hydraulics exposed by the extremity of the disturbing expression. His body climbed down and rotated beneath his head without his head really moving. "Now you're talking my language, kid. See, I actually get sick of skulking around, but I can't resist making people JUMP!"

With his last word, his arms snapped up, and X sensed a signal go out. He only barely managed to leap into the air in time. The entire cliff-edge blew apart from hidden explosives his sensors had someone confused for normal rocks.

Airborne and falling amidst boulders of rubble, X tried reach out for the solid wall, only to take a two-foot slam from Sting. It knocked X for a spin as it all came crashing down.

[Headquarters…]

Alia realized X's comm was silent almost instantly. She twisted again. "Zero! X's comm is being blocked! Please, sir, you have to pull our forces back! I can't explain how the tunnels are hidden, but we know Sting is a stealth tech expert!"

"We can't make that call with so little information, Alia!" Zero shouted back, but it was emphatic, not angry. "If we pull back, and you're wrong—!"

"I'm not wrong, sir! I'll put everything on the line for this!" Alia shouted, rising up with her fist clenched.

The entire control room had gone silent, watching in shock.

"I'll teleport out there and spring the trap alone, if that's what it takes!" she added quickly. She was trembling with urgency, her eyes lit with a fire born of necessity.

Zero grimaced, and then lowered his head. "…All forces, pull back. Retreat to previous check-points."

Confused requests for clarification came over the comms instantly, Alia sinking down into her chair with relief.

"Thank you, sir."

"Help me clean up the comms, Alia."

She twisted to her controls to do so, but now her concerns were firmly focused on X's safety. He had to be under attack for his comms to die that fast.

[In the battle…]

Free falling, the hunter and maverick grabbed and swiped at each other, sting-barbs and pulse-blasts shooting free, only to miss and deflect off falling boulders around them. Sting laughed as he folded under a fresh plasma bolt, and actually skittered around one of the boulders, vanishing.

X grimaced, trying to correct and watch for the rapidly rising ground so eager to meet him. _I need an angle on him!_ He realized as he spotted Sting sneering from around another boulder, and fired again. It missed.

His colors changed, and his buster seemed to shift into a type of partial corkscrew system.

As Sting leapt out from a boulder ahead of X, X fired as he swept his arm forward, unleashing three bladed orbs that quickly snapped open into boomerang-cutters from Kuwanger himself.

Sting whirled out of their path, scrambled along the boulder, but X ducked forward, rolling into a somersault as he prepared to meet the ground. Lashing his tail around, Sting was ready to spike the hunter, but he heard the trill in the air behind him, his optics flaring, one aiming backward instantly.

"Clever!" Sting shouted, ripping himself up and out of the return path of the three cutters that had arced all the way around the boulders surrounding the pair.

One clipped his shoulder, and he hissed from the pain, but leapt away as he melted into the air.

That instant, X crashed to a hard roll, boulders cracking the ground around him, and his buster snapped to catch the returning cutters and lock them back into his barrel.

He finished with a backward slide, hand down, looking back toward the tall cliff face the grim battle-focus clenching his face.

Cloaked against the cliff itself, Sting Chameleon was watching X, but also bringing up a private display in his vision for the forest area itself. It showed the hunter forces as red dots, all pulling further out of the center. _Hm, they must really trust the kid. Well, it won't be quite as effective, but this is just one giant distraction, after all._

He sent a signal that activated his traps.

[Headquarters…]

Comm chatter exploded as the hunter forces on the field instantly came under assault from a massive army of battle bots. Due to retreating to fortified positions, they had a firing line already set-up.

"How the heck did you guys know about the tunnels?" one hunter asked Zero directly over the comm.

Zero glanced to Alia, who was too busy working to keep everyone coordinated to hear the comment. "One very brave Reploid. Now hold the line, and blow those bots to pieces. We're finishing this."

"Sir!"

[The Forest…]

X remained braced, hyper aware for any sound, any disturbance around him. "Sting, this doesn't have to be a fight. You can stand down. I know how to help you. We can stop all this insanity."

"Saying that with a buster armed and ready is a bit pointless, X," Sting's voice echoed off the rocks all around the Hunter.

X firmed. "You're too dangerous, Sting. Come out openly, and I will not fire. We can put our guns down at the same time, and we can talk."

"Interesting how sincere you are, boy. Your profile before this war was non-combat with untapped potential. Now it seems you were designed for combat. Tell me, though. Did you make this offer to all my comrades?"

X kept listening, trying to get a bearing on the voice.

"Do you intend to offer it to Sigma?" Sting continued pointedly.

"Yes, in fact, I do," called X in response.

"No need to shout."

X felt it behind him. He snapped around, his buster rounding on Sting's face.

"I'm right behind you," Sting whispered with a smile.

They froze that way for a moment. X didn't fire, but his eyes were rigid with focus.

The Maverick seemed intrigued after a moment. "My tail is down."

X twitched, but slowly lowered his buster, his hand reforming. His instincts screamed at him, but this was vital. He had to show this was a real path, a sincere offer. He couldn't just blow the Reploid away. Not unprovoked. Not with a chance of peace.

"Such a strange mixture of naiveté and practicality, X. Is this Dr. Light's legacy? A killing machine with a conscience?"

X remained stoic. "Dr. Light didn't make killing machines. He made me so that I could have a choice."

"And you chose fighting," said Sting, smirking.

X shook his head. "No. I chose to protect the innocent from mindless violence."

"Tell me, X," the maverick began again, head bowed, optics glistening, "do I look mindless to you?" That voice had become a rasping threat.

And X saw the haze. The virus rage. He started to fall back and twist in one gesture, Sting's rising talon-stab cooling the air along X's chestplate.

X grabbed the arm at the elbow with his left hand, and snapped his buster into firing configuration, aiming it down the limb at Sting's face. A dark finality was etched into every crease in X's face. "Stand down."

Sting smiled, then his metallic tongue shot out like a bolt. It rammed the buster back while sticking to it. X was stunned just enough for his weapon-arm to rise up, and Sting used the chance to bodily whip-lash with his tongue, yanking X up, over, and down into the rocky ground with a shattering impact.

Retracting his tongue and stomping his foot down onto X's back, Sting leaned onto the knee of the leg pressing the Reploid down into the rocks. "Oh, and those hunters you came here to rescue?" He lifted his arm, and touched a control on an exposed console in the limb. "They're about to have company."

Sting turned grave as X's body began to glow with writhing, pulsing energy.

Down in the rock, X's eyes blazed wide, glowing. His weapon systems and Kuwanger's cutter drive readapted as only Dr. Light's programming could allow.

Not hesitating at all, Sting's tail whipped over and down, firing his stingers at X's back.

X's body exploded with power that same instant.

The darts were shattered like dust in the wind was massive plasma cutters akin to Kuwanger's weapon surged out in a swirling death-storm. The ground was torn up in waves of leaping stone, the day darkened by the immediate, ghostly green suns slicing through the field like reaping spirits.

Sting's body was thrown back as his left arm and right leg wore cut clean off. Only shock had time to show on his face and optics before one of the massive energy cutters whipped around, and ripped down his front before cleaving off across the terrain in a deep groove.

The maverick crashed on his back nearly ten meters away, his entire torso open and exposed from the one slice, his body twitching faintly.

X rose up to one foot, as if his body was heavier than usual, and cycled his respirator on one knee, looking up through his helmet at Sting's body. A hard kind of sorrow was written on his face, but he stood at last, and approached the maverick.

He found the core components only mildly damaged. He sighed with a bit of relief, and stored them securely. Accessing the data, he immediately sent out the command signal to the battle bots throughout the forest to shut down.

Like a wave of stillness, the battle halted along the line, the bots falling out of the sky or dropping to the ground lifelessly, returning to stand-by modes.

X touched his ear-piece next. "Alia, I've got coordinates for the captured team. I'm mobilizing, but we'll like need transport."

"You got it. And well done, X." Her relief was clear in her voice.

X looked down at Sting's mutilated body. To the body, he privately said, "Not mindless at all, Sting…" To Alia, he touched his ear, and added, "We all did it. Thanks, Alia. Heading out now."

At headquarters, Dex took the fore in organizing the injured and recovery rooms for the returning forces. It was clear he was driven, more dedicated than even before, but still himself.

"Sir, reporting to assist."

Dex blinked his optics, the lights just dimming within them for a moment, and looked up at one of the new recruits. "Ah, Quickman, right?"

The crimson, blade-wielding Hunter nodded with a subtle smile. "You got it."

Dex tipped his head. "Thanks for coming. We're a little low on space. Can you help this squad," he gestured to some lightly injured Reploids along the wall, "get into any available spaces?"

"Roger that, boss," Quickman replied, and marched over to greet the first of the injured Reploid. To himself, Quickman thought, _Very stable young Reploid. After what I did to him, I was expecting signs of controlled trauma. He'll go far._

[After the battle…]

Once headquarters was settled, and the injured recovering in medical facilities, X made sure he had an opportunity to retreat to his hideout. He was concerned that Sting's components were more damaged than he'd estimated, and wanted to confirm. He was moving down a hall briskly to make his exit when Alia came running up to him.

"X, glad I caught you!" she declared, clearly happy. "I've gotten access to the data from Sting Chameleon's base! I wanted to ask if you wanted to help me dig through it? We might get a real insight into Sigma's plans with it."

X was caught. She was right, and he also had a good chance of getting vital intel from Sting himself, but he couldn't tell her that. He looked rather like a deer in headlights for a moment, and then rubbed the back of his helmet. "I'm honored, Alia, but you're so much better at data analysis, I think I'd just hold you back. Go ahead and get started, and if you still think you need a hand, signal me, okay?" he offered with a smile.

Alia's shoulders sank a bit. "O-okay. Sure. Are you alright? You seem a bit distracted."

X was hitting himself mentally. He actually desperately wanted to just spend some time with her, and this kind of work would be a perfect and legitimate excuse, but Sting's life could be in danger without repairs to his components. "I am, sorry. Just everything that happened today, you know?"

Alia eased with a kinder smile. "Of course. Sorry, X. Go rest. You earned it."

It was so strange to feel absolutely gutted by someone being sincerely kind and sweet. X constrained his emotions desperately, and smiled big and happy for her. "Thank you, Alia. You're a life-saver."

She giggled, and trotted past him, giving his shoulder a playful swat as she did.

Once she was around the next bend, X let his face fall.

"…Sorry, Alia," he whispered, and then started to run to get out of headquarters.

[The hideout…]

At the hideout, the display powered up successfully, which allowed X to relax a little. When Sting's face appeared, he eased completely.

Until Sting's face animated with urgency, and shouted, "You're wasting time on me, X!"

X blinked, caught short. "W-what…?"

"I get it. I'm wired directly into a display system, you saved me. Thanks. Now you need to get back to headquarters immediately!"

X snapped into focus. "What's going on, Sting?"

"I was a distraction! Sigma's base of operations is going to mobilize tonight! Do you have anyone analyzing my base's data?"

"Yes, Alia is—!"

Both X and Sting stopped and stared as X's communicator started trilling with an urgent alert.

"Seems like she knows what she's doing. Get going, X! You can talk to me later. If you don't get out there fast, the war so far will just look like a skirmish!"

"Thank you!" X shouted, sprinting out of room at full speed.

Sting lowered his head in the display panel, his optics shutting. "I just hope you're in time."

[Author's Note]

Hey all! Sorry for the delayed update! I really appreciate the reviews, favs, and watches. You're keeping me going!

I'm fond of three particular parts of this chapter. The opening with Quickman and Depthcharge was fun to write, and I think it gives a nice intro to Kuwanger's proposed 'character' that he's playing. The in-story jokes about the chosen name seemed appropriate, and hopefully aren't heavy-handed. Second part is of course Alia and X's chat. They're a cute pair, and having a chance to foreshadow trouble with Magma Dragoon was a real fun bonus. The third part is actually the moment during Sting and X's fight where they're falling with the boulders. I just enjoyed the absurd action of that.

Ending on a cliff-hanger seemed the best way to get the ball rolling for the finale sequence of this particular story. We're on the home-stretch for X Chronicle 1, but don't worry, you're not done yet.

Enjoy!


	13. Chapter 12: Sacrifice

Chapter 12: "Sacrifice"

Wind danced across the rocky plains under the moon that night. It all seemed normal at the start, just another warm evening. The small critters knew there was a problem first. They started to scatter. For kilometers out from a central point, the fauna fled any way they could. Only afterward did the rumble become as obvious as an earthquake.

Sinkholes formed, almost as expected, but they were spawning in a set pattern. The falling rocks and dirt revealed metallic tunnels, and hordes of battle-bots poured out. Rotor-bots, hover-bots, mining-bots, everything the maverick forces could get their hands on during the war. The army was pouring up into a massive ring around the central mass, which was still cracking apart and starting to rise skyward. Wasp-bots and other aerial types started to pour upward as well, quickly becoming a malevolent cloud of humming metal.

Slabs of rock finally fell free from the mass rising upward, revealing dark metal walls and towering spires. Defense turrets extended out on hundreds of ports and support balconies as a mechanical fortress came into clear view from the fracturing rubble.

Yet it didn't stop there. The entire rock plain, including the swarming army of battle-bots, started to rise up, cracking free of the land further out. The hum of repulsors and thrusters became a deafening roar as the floating island-fortress finally ascended with all its glory.

Sigma smiled faintly as he sat in a large, mechanical throne, his cape draped over the armrests on either side of him, one hand slowly petting the top of a robotic, purple and silver dog. "Ah, at last."

A flicker of light revealed Vile's presence, his T-shaped visor glinting from the view screens facing Sigma. "Even with all of our losses, this fortress will tip the balance. The humans' world is about to end, and ours rise from the ashes."

Sigma chuckled. "Indeed."

A sensor began to blare a quiet warning, and Sigma's solid-blue optics focused on it.

"Ah good. They won't disappoint us."

[Around the Fortress]

The armada of air-ships that Storm Eagle had stolen at the start of the war was now closing around the massive fortress. Airstrike stood at the prow of one of them, smirking a bit. _Scary situation, but it's good to be in the sky again. And we're so strained for numbers, they gave a supposed rookie like me a captain's job just because of my aptitude scores._

He touched his ear. "Air-Hunter Nine, in position."

Similar call-signs chorused across the armada, all routing to one particularly well-armed and armored carrier.

On the bridge, Zero snapped his arm into buster configuration, X standing beside him. Dr. Cain, Dex, and Alia were back at the central consoles of the fully staffed bridge to help coordinate the armada.

Alia, holding a hand to her own audio-sensor almost the whole time, looked up and reported, "Troop-transports are reporting green, Commander Zero! We're ready to begin!"

Zero called back, "Thank you, Alia. On my mark." Quietly, he looked to X, and asked, "You sure about this part?"

X nodded slowly. "The bulk of the Hunter forces keep the bots occupied and away from civilian population centers, while you and I punch through the defenses to stop Sigma. We need to end this."

Zero nodded. "Just had to check one last time. Now it's do or die." Louder, he called back, "Mark!"

Zero and X dash-jumped free of the ship, hurtling toward the fortress-island from rather high above it's rocky surface.

At the same instant, the armada opened fire with all cannons, immediately turning the bot horde into a rippling mass of explosions and churning metal.

Smaller craft came rushing down from the bellies of the armada, and swept down in practiced formations. Their flanks opened at ground level, and Maverick Hunters came pouring out. Overdrive, Deepfreeze, Quickman, Depthcharge, Barrel, and Inferno all led small units into the fray. Already, the Hunters who might've resented their quick rise through the ranks were being saved by the skill and experience of the disguised veterans. They were earning their reputations back.

[In the battle…]

Zero and X landed hard, but didn't stop. The ground cracked from their boots, and they were dashing through the dust and rubble it kicked up instantly. Arrayed before them was an army of siege-bots firing mortar blasts, beams, and pulse blasts toward them from hover-platforms and natural-rock battlements.

X used his various weapons borrowed from his old adversaries. A tornado blew apart a massive turtle-mortar-bot, while a tri-part beam blast took out a group of fliers. It was his buster's interpretation of Sting's barbs. The rotary shield tore through a group of hornets, and torpedoes became a rippling blast-wave to doom another mass of hornet-bots.

Zero kicked, punched, and blasted his way through. Precision shots, vicious strikes, and all with a quiet mixture of ferocity and nobility that made him appear to glide through the metallic carnage like a dancer.

The two dashed together around a rock battlement as they surged toward the fortress proper.

"X, do you see that ventilation system up top?" Zero asked, forced to be loud to be heard over the roar of battle all around them.

X took a quick glance. Where the closest spire met with the superstructure of the fortress, there was a large set of air-vents. "I do. Plan?" he asked as he pulse-blasted a pair of rotor-bots trying to flank them.

"Both of us taking the front door seems a bit foolish, don't you think?"

X smirked. "I hear you. I'll keep going this way. Take off!"

Zero flipped into a somersault, and landed blasting himself higher into a huge jump. He hit the fortress wall, and started dashing and scrambling up the surface.

X blew another tornado blast through a group of hover-bots, and leapt at full speed toward the first of the hover-platform turrets leading up toward the fortresses only visible door.

Charging as he flew, X unleashed his bubble-shield, and blew the turret apart as he landed. With a quick glance around, he saw the pattern of their flight, and he started to leap from platform to platform, blowing the turrets apart as he did. Each one carried him closer to the fortress.

[With X…]

With a final leap from one platform, X tumbled to a crouch, buster-ready on the fortress' upper level. The hall ahead of him was open, but the oddity of that fact quickly faded as he took stock of the small army of bots and entrenched defenses ready for him. X's colors shifted, his highlights turning green in varying shades as he began to glimmer with energy.

_Copying Sting's weapon system gave me more than I expected. That, and Dr. Light's adaptive buster system really is ingenious,_ X thought to himself.

When his buster fired, he didn't bother aiming it. Instead a hum pulsed through his body, and he shimmered. Rainbow hues danced over his frame, as if they were washing him out of the world, leaving a transparent glimmer the only trace of his presence.

X dashed ahead, and simply ripped past the defenses. The bots and guns realized something was there, and whipped into activity in his wake, but none could find anything worth targeting.

Skidding to a halt near an access ladder, X quickly climbed up, popping the hatch above to vanish completely from the hallway.

The cloak faded off his frame after just a few more seconds, however. His colors and buster reverted as he looked around in the somewhat dark maintenance access he'd just entered. His vision regained an overlay of the fortress, but it was based on estimations rather than certainty, and he turned it off when he realized it just wouldn't help more than manually scouting it out.

Silently moving, X went down the smaller hall, and found another hatch, this time to an upper level. It appeared the maintenance tunnels ran between floors. _Probably the final version of the technology Sting was prototyping for his ambush tunnels in the forest. To power a facility like this was probably the real purpose of Spark's operations as well. In fact… probably all of their operation were just to get this place operational to Sigma's specifications._

Climbing up into the more well-lit chamber, X was closing the hatch down quietly to hide his path when he heard a thunderous boom above him. Buster up and aiming on instinct, X's eyes flared as he saw chunks of metal and supports raining down amidst two Reploids.

Vile's dark, armored form was clearly visible by the large shoulder-cannon leading his dive. Zero was in his wake, buster out and firing down at the Maverick lieutenant.

"Zero!" X called up to notify his comrade.

Both falling Reploids spotted him, and Vile snapped a cannon-blast toward X.

Diving and rolling, X easily avoided the plasma sphere, which burst apart with a surprisingly tall ring-wave that ended near X's left foot.

"Careful, X!" Zero shouted finally.

Vile flipped over himself, and crashed to a landing ahead of X, Zero dropping to one knee further out to X's left. The flooring was dented under both of them.

Wrist-mounted barrels on Vile's right arm aimed at Zero, his shoulder-cannon at X. X and Zero were both aimed with braced arms at the Maverick. The three-way stand-off became tensely silent. The distant thunder of the outside battle was surprisingly easy to ignore this deep in the facility.

Vile's visor tilted down faintly, glinting. "So the prodigious Reploid arrives with his mentor. How cute. So what's it gonna be, Zero? Gonna take the kid out for milk and cookies after showing him how to take down Mavericks?"

Zero smirked. "I think you're projecting, Vile. Not get enough attention after construction? Need a mommy?"

X didn't share the put-on humor. He had no time for it. His eyes were sharp and dark. There was a malicious edge to Vile he could almost feel in his core. Something beyond the other Mavericks somehow. There was cruelty there not born of the infection.

"Better idea!" Vile began. "I blow you to pieces in front of him!"

The cannon aimed down and fired as the wrist-barrels unleashed a volley of small plasma bolts.

X had to dive to one side while firing, Zero dashing forward under the bolts aimed at him.

Vile's arm took the blast from X, snapping him around with a shout of surprise and pain. Zero took advantage, dashing right into Vile's front, and aiming his buster and foot into the Maverick's chest, firing his thruster and buster at the same time.

With a blast of energy between them, Vile flew back, slamming into the bulkhead beside an open doorway.

X recovered that moment, firing a partially charged blast at Vile. Vile ducked sharply, letting the blast flash-melt a crater in the wall, and then he twisted to dash into the doorway, firing at X with his wrist and the shoulder-cannon, which was aiming at X behind Vile's head.

X folded backward, watching the energy blasts rip over his face. Looking down to keep an eye on his foe, however, X watched Vile and Zero rip through the doorway just before it slammed down and whirled a sphere-lock into place.

"Zero!" X shouted, scrambling over to the door. He heard a couple of metal-on-metal impacts, and then another door slamming shut. "No!"

Snapping into his flamethrower configuration, X started to focus-burn straight through the door with a furious set to his face. The lock finally snapped apart with lashing tendrils of molten metal, and X rammed the halves of the door open.

The next room was just a two-layer chamber, the next door at the top of the next half. With a dash-leap and wall-kick, X was at the door and burning through it. His already intense expression creased sharply through his synthetic flesh as he heard the sounds of combat booming through the doorway.

X's eyes flicked up to the door itself when he heard a powerful hydraulic rush, a burst of energy… and then silence.

The door wasn't quite melted through yet. It was assisted by a shock-ram boot to the center of the lock, which tore the entire frame loose, and let it crash down before X leapt forward, and dashed through the smoke.

The scene waiting for him made X immediately skid to a halt, eyes wide.

Zero was grimacing, clutching his middle as he knelt down in a large containment field. This was waiting just to the side of Vile, who was controlling a massive mech-suit. The damage to Zero's torso looked like a crushing grip on the red Hunter.

"Ah, X. I was expecting you a little sooner. Zero barely gave me time to change into something more appropriate for entertaining guests," Vile taunted with cold satisfaction. The sneer beneath his helmet was all too obvious in his voice.

Zero had fluids leaking from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes were bright. "X, he's been upgraded, and his interface with the suit is much more detailed than—UGH!" a zap of power from the cage made Zero double over sharply as the power crackled over his damaged frame.

"Stop!" X shouted, looking at Vile. "Stop hurting him!"

Vile's shoulder cannon was aimed squarely at X. "Then surrender, or he dies screaming."

The glare Zero gave Vile's back would have made most Reploids fear for their lives.

X's eyes flitted from Vile to Zero and back, his face marked with vague horror and uncertainty. Neither option worked. He couldn't risk Zero's life, and he couldn't surrender to this psychopath. If Vile could hurt or even kill Zero with a signal, Zero would be dead before X could figure out a solid strategy to deal with the mech suit.

Vile tilted his head down, and the energy storming over Zero intensified, Zero groaning, but refusing to cry out as his eyes squeezed shut. "Clock's ticking…"

X's hands clenched into fists, and he looked down at the floor. Frustration trembled through his frame. His mind was scrambling, but couldn't get past the simple fact that no matter what he did, he was going to fail.

"X… don't…" Zero strained out, managing to open his eyes to look across at his comrade.

X looked up sorrowfully. "…I can't just let you die, Zero." Slowly, he looked to Vile. "…I surrender."

"NO, X!" Zero warned.

Vile's cannon charged and fired instantly. X was too emotionally conflicted to react properly, and took the blast to his chest. It spread around him, and left him kneeling in a jittering dome of energy, restricting his movements as he grimaced.

The mech stomped over to X that next moment, Vile looking down at him. "So naïve. I'm going to enjoy crushing the life out of you, X."

X braced, starting to draw energy in. _Come on in, then. Dr. Light's design is drawing power even from the field you're using to contain me. Just come closer and I'll finish this too fast for you to hurt Zero._

"VILE!"

X and Vile both snapped their attention back to Zero, who was rising up through the storming energy with a frighteningly fierce blaze in his eyes. Screaming with fury and pain, Zero's dash-thrusters flared to max as he leaned straight into the damaging restrictors toward Vile.

"Your power systems are overloading, you can't possibly—What!?" Vile roared in shock as Zero suddenly burst free, leaping across the chamber, still shouting himself.

"ZERO, DON'T!" X shouted desperately. He almost had enough to rupture the containment field, if Zero would just dodge away, he could finish this!

Zero crashed down onto Vile himself, swinging around onto the back of the mech even as Vile rapidly twisted and grasped with his enlarged body to pull the Hunter off. The two stumbled away as they struggled, leaving X to continue drawing power from his containment.

"Zero, break off! I can do this!" X shouted urgently.

Zero finally got Vile in a full headlock, clenching hard enough to secure himself from being shaken off. He looked up at X with a strange sadness in his eyes, however, and just said, "Sorry, kid."

Vile and X both stared at him as his pupils glowed brightly, energy starting to stream and rush off his form. His power core was going critical.

X's face fell, and he rammed forward, the containment field still holding despite his system desperately soaking it. "ZERO! STOP! I CAN STOP HIM!"

Zero smiled just before the room vanished in the blinding white light of Zero's core critically overloading.

X's eyes stayed wide despite the blinding light, tears flash vaporizing off his cheeks in the blast-wave.

[Across the battle…]

The entire facility trembled from the blast. For just a moment, the battle paused. Hunters across the field and armada paused, sensing something had happened. Alia looked up from her console with Dex and Dr. Cain, all three just knowing something was wrong.

Deepfreeze looked up from the frozen remains of a mining bot, grim-faced. Overload and Depthcharge were back to back, blowing bots away, but managed to look toward the fortress itself. Airstrike looked out from his bridge, his eyes sorrowful. Barrel and Quickman turned from tearing down a turtle-tank. Inferno was kicking away a charred mining bot as he looked up as well.

Of course, the battle hadn't ended, so they all quickly focused back on their surroundings, but a pall had fallen over the battle regardless. Something terrible had happened.

[With X…]

The blinding flash slowly faded, steam rising off the floor, walls, and flowing across the ceiling. Vile slowly rose up, pieces of the mech suit crashing apart around him. The Maverick himself, however, only seemed dirty rather than damaged. He sighed, dusting off parts of his armor. Looking off to his left, he saw Zero's remains. Most of the body was vaporized, but the upper torso and head were mostly intact.

"What a futile gesture. With my improve—urk!"

A flash freeze crystallized over his entire body, leaving him unable to move. The steam of the room blasted away from something off to his right the next second, and he felt it shoot past him, toward Zero.

X was at Zero, down on one knee, a hand on the surviving shoulder as tears gently dripped from his eyes.

Zero's right eye slowly opened, but they both knew he was only still functional due to the stored power in his systems. It was draining fast. "X… you've… got what it takes…"

X squeezed the shoulder. "Zero… I'm sorry…"

Zero managed a wan smile, and then his face relaxed as the last light faded from his systems.

X's face clenched against the pain, his head bowing. He could see without having to open anything that Zero's central processor and memory systems were badly damaged. There was almost nothing left to save.

Cracking and sheering sounded across the chamber, and Vile finally broke free, growling. "You idiotic brat! You'll pay for that!"

X wasn't moving. Vile turned to face the Hunter's back fully.

"Ignoring me? Fine! Just wait 'til you get a load of my upgrades for yourself you—!?"

"I've seen them all before," X cut him off. This time, however, X's voice was a dangerously cold river. Were any of his friends there to hear it, they would have been horrified. Vile only saw X's head stay bowed as he continued, "Your armor is a refined version of Spark Mandrill's. Your stasis shots are modified versions of Armor Armadillo's rolling shield. I suspect that means you also have a modified version of Kuwanger's speed system, and all the rest."

Vile eased back a step. This Reploid had snapped from a naïve, crying child to a calculating, completely controlled killer.

X's eyes slowly opened forward, half-lidded and dark, the pupils dilated. Jessica dying in his arms. All the Reploids slaughtered at the factory. Alia's pain and her squad's deaths. Dex's mutilated body. These images filled his mind and broiled together, Zero's rent body just crystallizing them into such perfect clarity. "I'm ending this," X rasped, his arm snapping into his buster.

Vile braced and fired with both wrists and his shoulder-cannon.

X snapped his buster back and fired once. A rotary shield ripped loose, and tore the incoming firepower apart, throwing the plasma bolts down or away, churning all the way to Vile himself. The Maverick roared as his cannon was rammed aside and his armor fractured along his chest, his body flying back.

X twisted, firing missiles into the ground around himself and Zero's body, creating a smoke cloud from the explosions.

Vile tumbled back, rolling onto his feet, arms out. _How the hell!? This isn't the same kid…_

Something was to his left! Vile rose up, trying to turn, but something grabbed his shoulder-cannon, and wrenched it up and back painfully. Vile angled with the pull, and watched X materialize out of the air. Up close, he could see the cold rage burning in those half-lidded eyes.

Vile actually gasped. A primal fear ripped through him as he looked into those eyes. He'd feared Sigma, but these eyes were something worse. A nightmare bleeding into the light. "…W-what are you?"

X's answer was a left-hand punch across Vile's head that was so powerful it started to fracture the helmet even as Vile's body wrenched away. Immediately after, Vile doubled over around a kick to his gut delivered with such force that he flew back, and slammed into the front wall of the massive chamber. He grunted on impact, the wall denting around his body, but he focused, and snapped his arms forward, firing a volley toward X.

X dashed forward and left, sweeping just around the first wave of plasma, then dashed again, sweeping right, closing faster and faster. Vile fired with his cannon and wrists desperately, spraying volatile energy into the Hunter's path with all the focus and urgency he could muster.

X's eyes locked on Vile once more, his buster sweeping right as his body dashed left, firing off three blade-cutters in a smooth arc.

Vile burst forward, dashing past X's feet. X just twisted around, skidding on his feet to rebalance as he fired ahead, unleashing two torpedoes after Vile.

Managing to blow one missile up with his wrist-fire, Vile let himself laugh as he leapt clean over the second, letting it blow up on the ground.

That was when the cutter took his cannon off at the base. Vile shouted, stumbling forward, and the other two cutters ripped past his arm and leg, sparks bursting out of the wounds.

Spinning around, he couldn't find X behind him. "Where are you!?"

He fell against something hard and metallic, realizing it had to be his enemy, but not comprehending how X could have moved so fast. He looked back over his shoulder, and found those nightmare eyes looking down at him.

"Right behind you."

Vile actually screamed, suddenly rushing away and trying to scramble for the wall off to the right.

X just started to walk after him, but was building energy over his body the entire time, buster loose down at his side.

"How are you doing this!? You're a brat! You didn't even know how to fight a month ago!" Vile shouted at him, turning and stumbling backward.

Jessica's blood pouring down over his body. X's eyes narrowed and he fired from the hip, energy pulsing out from his body as a full shock-wave of purple-blue power ripped out, his arm snapping back, and blasted Vile back another few steps.

The dead bodies in the streets. Vile took another plasma wave to the chest, crashing back yet again.

X kept marching forward, eyes dark and focused, charging and firing as the images of the Reploids in the factory swept up. Vile's armor was starting to melt off his shoulder and boot.

Another blast as Alia's battered body returned to his mind's eyes. Vile's armored back crashed against the wall finally.

Another with Flame Mammoth's exploding body. Another with Chill Penguin's rupturing frame. X suddenly roared, eyes wide, but pupils still like dots in his bright eyes. He kept firing, blast after blast, wave after wave of power in his wake. Vile was rammed against the wall, the armor fracturing, the plating ripping along the cracks. Dex's body, Zero's sad smile, Jessica's voice.

"_Oh... I guess you just... couldn't help... me..."_

X was in front of Vile, eyes half-lidded again, head bowed, Vile just looking up into that horrifying face. X suddenly wrenched back with his buster arm, and unleashed a feral scream that contorted his entire face and body, power bleeding out of the barrel of his buster.

Vile's visor reflected the rushing buster even as it collided and fired at the same time. X drove Vile's head into the wall and unleashed a fully charged plasma blast with it, his roar rising with the explosive power unleashed. A storm-wave of purple-blue energy ripped out along the wall, darkening the room for contrast.

X lingered as the energy faded, steam rising off his arm and the wall. Vile's body limply slid down, headless, and collapsed to the side.

Breathing for a moment, X let his arm revert, and slowly knelt down, prying open Vile's torso with his hands. His eyes tightened as he found the personality drive. It was cracked and scorched almost as badly as Zero's.

X bowed his head, and sank back onto his legs for a moment. He'd completely lost control. He'd gone too far. He'd crossed the line.

Taking a deep breath, he reached forward, and took the core component anyway. Then, he stood up, and walked over to Zero. He gently took Zero's core components as well, and these he stored just under his chest plate, in an armor storage unit. "I'll get you home, Zero," X whispered, and then stood up, and marched forward.

The job wasn't done yet.

[Author's Note]

Sorry for the delay everyone! Don't worry, we're still chugging right along. Had a lot of personal business finally resolved these last couple of weeks!

Here is a chapter I've been looking forward to for a long while. My personal version of the X vs. Vile fight and Zero's sacrifice. This had to be done carefully to set-up future stories and links, without messing up this story's dramatic requirements. Zero's death and Vile's defeat have to appear totally permanent and realistic, yet leave just that tiny kernel of a chance of being undone.

Primarily, this is a very important moment in my version of X's characterization. This the first time we truly see X snap. It will not be the last if I actually get to write out the future stories. Hopefully this flows properly, makes sense, and is not coming off as a belabored scene of violence. The violence in this fight is supposed to disturb and discomfort. This is not a heroic battle. This is about as close to murder as a good guy like X gets. Still a fight, still 'him or me' in the moment, but undoubtedly vicious and chilling. That's the goal anyway.

In many ways, this scene sets the tone for X's true development. He's a good guy, but struggling with dangerous forces. This is the 'maverick' Dr. Light was so afraid of, and why X was locked away for decades. Imagine X without his gentleness and restraint, and you have a nightmare worthy of legend. This is a glimpse of Dr. Light's nightmare.

I hope you enjoyed it, and I'll do my best to update faster next time!


	14. Chapter 13: Sigma's Fortress

Chapter 13: "Sigma's Fortress"

Only one thing affected the war waging around the fortress: it had stopped trying to move toward the nearest city. Surrounded by the Hunter armada, the floating fortress remained ominously silent in the air, the land-war still raging across its attached island of rock and metal.

"And we still can't get a signal inside?" Dr. Cain asked, glancing down to his left.

Alia looked up at his back. The human scientist was at the front of the command bridge, watching it all in his grim focus. "No, sir. I'm sorry. Hopefully it stopped advancing because of their efforts."

Dex adjusted some of his controls, and reported, "We're making steady progress, sir. Unless Sigma has a new trick to pull out at this stage, we'll win this battle."

Dr. Cain's hands tightened on his cane. "Sigma was the best Hunter for a reason, Dex. This isn't over until it's over."

Alia and Dex both answered, "Yes, sir."

[In the Depths…]

Inside the fortress, X stepped over the wreckage of a few hover-bots to face a new sphere-lock door. Dark emotion was etched into his face, his buster remaining active and ready. His cold gaze flitted across the features of the door, then the wall around it. _Armored bulkheads on the other side. This looks like a bunker system. A fortress within the fortress. Hm… time to spring the trap then._

X dashed and hopped through the doorway, unsurprised when it slammed shut and whirled into full-lock behind him. His eyes scanned the new room, finding it a featureless, large cube, except for the door opposite his current position. It was another sphere-lock barrier, already sealed.

Two things saved his life. His body was primed for combat, and he'd heard the subtle whisper calling for his doom once before.

X dove forward, twisting in the same motion, and fired back at Boom Kuwanger.

The Maverick was just flickering into view, its right arm swinging the blade-cutter down through the air X had just left. Its optics saw the plasma bolt, and it twisted and crouched at full speed, blurring down to let the shot sail overhead.

X skidded to a halt, his expression unchanged. _Those optics are dead. A core-copy. A dangerous replica, but it can't make new thoughts or be creative. Sigma likely focused it for combat, too._ "Haven't we done this dance before, Kuwanger?"

"I found the conclusion unsatisfactory," the clone replied.

X's colors shifted, his highlights dimming to cold gray as his buster snapped into a torpedo-launcher. "I really don't have time for this. Stand down, and I won't harm you." He felt the thing before him rather akin to a bot, but even a bot didn't deserve to get blown apart without necessity.

The clone smirked with its optics, and flickered out of sight.

X's right hand snapped up to the side, palm open, and his buster fired ahead, left, and straight back in a quick, snapping arc.

The clone Kuwanger appeared, optics-wide. Its right arm, which was holding the blade-cutter, was already caught by X's open hand. The arcing torpedoes were rushing in from his other sides just as fast.

X held fast, and drove the clone's blade into the flooring, their pair locking optics. Kuwanger eased faintly, "No hesitation?"

The torpedoes hit. X closed his eyes against the wash of fire and smoke that poured around him. He opened them down at the battered remains of the clone.

Kneeling down, X pried open the armor, and looked for the core components to confirm his theories. His brow creased, and he pulled out a system buffer. "No core chip, just the buffer itself. A cached personality." He sighed, wiping a hand down his face. "Just very dangerous battle-bots."

Standing, he marched toward the far door, but paused, his face tightening with suspicion, when the door just unlocked and rushed open. Reverting his colors and buster-mode, X started forward again. "Invited right in. I'll accept."

The door immediately led into a narrow hall, which more resembled a metal tunnel than anything. The doorway at the end opened for him as the first had, but the room beyond was pitch black. Still focused as before, X just dropped down into the new room.

He'd braced for a possibly massive drop to be safe, but found the floor less than a meter below the lip of the door. As before, the door slammed shut and locked in his wake.

Lights began to flash on, but they were dim, and stopped about six meters over his head. The details the light revealed made X start to brace back with one foot, his eyes scanning up toward the darkness.

Thick, metal pipes of dark green coloration ran throughout the room, filling its space with a maze of crossed, angled lines. The pipes were segmented, and each segment had strange, iris-like openings all around it.

Surging down toward his level, the pipes started spewing random extensions out of the iris-openings, forging a massive, random network of narrow structures.

Assuming it was a physical trap, X dove forward, and dashed into a weaving path between the larger pipes, narrowly missing an impaling strike from one of the small extensions appearing between the last two larger pipes he slid between.

That was when something massive rattled in the shadows above. X looked up, his eyes widening with realization. Only the speed of his own perceptions allowed him to see what came tearing down out of the darkness.

Heavily armored silver ripped down one pipe, shot across a tiny extension, down another, and it keep doing so. The speed of the charge and track-changes wise mind-boggling even to a machine as the massive thing somehow found perfect gaps between the pipes and twisted, switched, and rushed toward X.

Twisting to his feet, X dove away from his previous location, aiming back as he did.

Eight mechanical legs unwrapped as a razor-maw opened toward him, the massive spider-bot only missing his feet by centimeters. The flooring and wall near the end of the pipe it was riding were tore apart like paper, however.

X fired a quick volley, and watched the shots disperse over the bot's tank-like body. The armor seemed to shimmer and glow softly, but was clearly unharmed.

For a split-second, on the thing's back, a massive crimson optics opened, focused on X, and then slammed shut. The next second, the spider tore back up into the shadows with a horrid screech of metal and hydraulics. At the same time, four metal pods came flying down, flung by some of its limbs.

X started to dash through the pipe matrix in a random pattern, trying to keep himself a hard target. He watched the four pods split open, revealing themselves as tiny echoes of the massive spider, all scuttling after him as quickly as their bladed legs would carry them. Their single, glowing red optics were all tightly focused on him as well.

Plasma bolts pinged off their armored bodies, but one took a bolt to the eye, and stumbled back, quickly shutting the exposure.

Hearing more hissing above, X firmed, and kept dashing.

The massive spider came hurtling down as the pipe-network changed with two snaps, the old pipes vanishing, new ones forming. X had to back-flip under one that snapped across his face, and barely dodged the massive machine again. He tried to fire at its eye, but the blink was too fast, and then the massive machine was ripping up into the darkness again, firing more pods.

X growled, and started dashing again. _Think, think, think! You don't have time to be this stupid, X! The armor, work around it. It's dispersing energy and is highly refined. …Spark Mandrill's prototype refined. The pipes probably work as a secondary power-source to counter-balance the draw or even the heat. Time for a test!_

His colors and buster snapped a quick change, and he fired an ice-bolt at the nearest spider-pod. It his the optic dead-on, and the pod snap-froze through the sensor. It collapsed where it stood.

Another quick ice-blast hit the flank of another pod. It slowed down, but wasn't harmed.

_Definitely perfected. So the optic is the key. These little ones keep their eyes open, the big one just blinks. Why use one at all? Wait…_ He recalled the last two strikes. It looked straight at him for a split-second, then shut the optic tight. _It's pegging me. My movements,_ he glanced to a pipe as he dashed past it, _are sending vibration through the pipe-web, but it would be imprecise. Spotting me after each strike keeps the margin of error down. This is a machine-trap, not a thinking enemy. It will always take that glance. Okay, so it's all timing._

X leapt over a particular pipe, and snapped his buster right, then left, firing each way. Two spider-pods shattered from the force of the flash-freeze through their optics.

The pipe-matrix changed with another pair of snaps.

This time X stopped, thumping one pipe with his fist, and looking up.

The spider-tank came ripping down, jittering along it spath, arms and maw open.

X back-flipped at the last-second, letting it churn into the metal where he'd stood, and aimed his buster straight down into the closed optic.

It snapped open, dilating at this buster point-blank at its surface. He fired.

The massive spider roared, slamming the optics shut as it flailed for a moment. X climbed away quickly, watching for another possible opening.

Keeping the optic shut, the spider started to retreat, but slower, and with odd bumping gestures at a few junctions of pipes. It had definitely felt the strike.

X knew it wouldn't risk opening the eye again yet, so he pegged the rest of the pods while the main spider retreated. Changing tactics once the spider vanished into the darkness above, X started to climb through the pipes himself, swinging, jumping, and grappling through them like a monkey.

When the matrix shifted again, he cursed as a smaller pipe grazed his arm. His armor was strong enough that it only scratched, but the force twisted him around dangerously, and he caught himself on another pipe.

Then he heard the roar of the spider-tank. It started rushing down, and X boosted into a flip, buster snapping down. Proving his theory true, the spider ripped down to the junction just below him after his flip, and then started to lash out with its arms. When the eye opened, X fired again.

This time the eye froze over and burst apart with a gush of flame. The spider roared again, screeching mechanically. X scrambled further away as cracks formed on its body, the limbs lashing and the maw gnashing.

An explosion burst out of its flank, and the pipe matrix reverted, only the larger pipes remaining. X kept himself perched between two, watching as the spider-tank kept blowing open in chunks, limbs falling, armor plates crashing down heavily.

As the tank started to completely fall apart and crash down below, X looked up, puzzled as the lights came on fully, illuminating the chamber all the way to the ceiling, where a door opened in the center.

"…Why show me the way?" X muttered. His buster and colors reverted, and he started climbing. "This isn't a fortress. It's a test. Fine." The dark haze filled his eyes again as his emotions returned from his battle-focus. Zero's death would not be reduced to a test by an infected Reploid madman. This war was going to end.

[Above…]

The end of the vertical tunnel put X in a surprisingly different interior style. He felt as though he'd teleported to an entirely different building. Bronze and brown metals made up the surfaces of the interior. They were only interrupted by blue lights in long, angular lines and small domes along the walls, and black details connecting everything. The sounds of industrial equipment were also clear.

X quickly moved to a guard-wall ahead. A ramp led down to the bulk of the large, long chamber just off to his left. The quick glance he stole over the top showed him what he needed. There were bots loitering near mech-suits on service platforms between conveyor systems. It looked like the conveyor platforms were moving raw materials from something above, and dropping to slightly different areas below. The conveyors were additionally guarded by gripper-bots.

The mech-suits were the only real problem. Them crashing along in his wake would be problematic. X sighed, his hopes for stealthing through dashed by the risk of any future alarm bring all of those mechs up after him. So he started to charge, energy writhing along his frame even as he moved toward the ramp, still huddled against the wall.

In a flurry of action, X leapt into the open and fired. The back-blast of his plasma wave highlighted him for the bots in the entire hall-chamber, but the actual wave tore down and incinerated the first team of pilots and left their mechs hobbled if not entirely unusable.

Quickly switching weapons and colors, X dashed through, firing torpedoes out in clusters toward the various conveyor systems. Gripper-bots rained down in pieces all over the chamber, while mech-wearing bots finally came charging toward the Hunter.

Another switch, and X unleashed a tornado straight through the main line of charging mechs. Two were cut in half, a third lost most of its lower body, and a fourth's pilot was obliterated through its chest.

X almost flew, leaping across conveyor platforms, unleashing blasts, missiles, waves, and vortexes. Mechs and grippers crashed down or flew apart, none even getting close to attacking the Reploid ripping through their ranks.

Dash-leaping through the remains of one last gripper, X dropped down to a crouch. He faced a sphere-lock door at the far end of the room. There were no other exits.

_Sigma must just be trying to slow me down. This design makes no sense for a functional fortress._ X shook his head, and ran for the door. As expected now, it opened for him, let him drop into the next room, and sealed in his wake.

The same walls and details of the previous hall continued, but this room was another large cube. Another sphere-lock door waited opposite him.

X kept his buster ready. "Who is it this time then?" he called out to the room.

"I'm flattered! You're figuring the place out!" Chill Penguin shouted back, dropping in from a mechanical trap door above. It sealed flawlessly in his wake, and the clone landed to a flawless crouch. "Are you ready?"

X's eyes sharpened. The empty haze was in this clone's eyes as well. "…This must be a chore for you, Chill. Such a direct, simple confrontation. Sigma's orders?"

Chill frowned, his optics sharpening right back. "Still plenty of room to finish you."

X shook his head. "What makes you think you'll win now? Especially compared to our last fight?"

All Chill Penguin did was shrug, and then ripped toward X with a charging dash.

X twisted, exposing his back to Chill, but X instantly flipped, one-hand-standing on Chill's very shoulder. "Even a clone of Chill must find this set-up insulting."

Their optics locked over Chill's shoulder for a core-pulse.

_Yes. Even this poor clone feels insulted. A cruel fate. To be an echo of someone already dead, never allowed to be yourself,_ X thought in that split-second.

X landed, changed colors and buster-configurations. Chill Penguin bounced off the wall, and used that to come ripping back toward X.

This time, X pirouetted around Chill Penguin, and instantly aimed his buster at the clone's back. Chill was engulfed in flame from behind. He pitched around the force of the impact at his rear armor, his optics relaxing. The clone hit the wall already exploding. It just slumped down as a heap of charred armor.

X stood there, not firing, but frozen in his last moment of releasing the firewave. "I've never thought of creation as an act of cruelty," he whispered to the too-quiet chamber. "…am I going mad myself?"

He forced his eyes shut, reverted his colors and buster, and moved to the door. It unlocked for him, and he rushed through again.

This time he climbed. Wall-mounted cannon-bots, grippers, hover-bots, and mace-wielding shield-bots all tired to slow him down. X simply leapt from shattered enemy to wall and up he went. Once had had gone several levels up, he reached a hallway with surprisingly bright light beyond.

X dashed along, but abruptly halted, looking around at a massive platform raised into what looked like open sky in broad daylight. It was still night time outside the fortress. Ahead of him, beyond the large platform, he saw another tall part of the fortress waiting. "…What is this?" X asked no one, sincerely confused.

"My new roost."

X looked up as a familiar flapping sound echoed in his audio-sensors.

Storm Eagle elegantly dropped to his feet on the platform, his turbine-buster already rotating idly. "Working for Sigma has its perks."

"You mean being reduced to a delaying tactic in a fake sky is satisfying for you?" X shot back. He was too aware of the stakes to banter.

The clone of Eagle frowned. "This 'delaying tactic' might just kill you-!?" he cut himself off when X shimmered out of sight without moving.

"I can't waste time bolstering my ego," X's voice came from right beside him.

Storm twisted, trying to fire, but his buster was kicked further out, and he took a palm-ram to the chest. Storm stumbled back, and watched the green-tinted Reploid pour out of the air, already aiming at him.

"No offense, but I don't think you were built with the capacity to see how to beat me, clone."

X fired twice. The horizontal chameleon sting hit Storm in the chest and both wings, blowing the lighter-armored limbs apart. Eagle cried out, but the second blast, oriented vertically, hit him in the chest, stomach, and head.

The clone held its face, crashing down to its knees, growling.

X held, aiming, but not firing again. "Surrender, and I will make sure you get repairs, and are free to live as you wish. Not a clone of Storm Eagle, but yourself."

The damaged face looked up at him. With the inner workings exposed and the surprisingly dark visage, Eagle suddenly looked outright demonic. "Do you actually think I'd accept?"

"Honestly, no, but I had to offer."

Eagle's optics began to glow, and he started to roar like an unholy beast. X's eyes widened, and he twisted away, dashing toward the far side of the platform, toward the rest of the fortress.

The clone self-destructed, and the shock-wave was large enough to send X flying into the base of the next tower of the fortress.

X picked himself up enough to look back at the scorched platform. "…May peace find you."

Then he looked up, and firmed. He had another climb.

[Later…]

Leaping up through a port-hole amidst burning, melting wreckage, X let the pieces float up around him for a core-pulse before he rolled forward in the air and landed. He didn't even pause at the new sphere-lock door waiting for him. They were becoming comically redundant. He strode down the hall after it, and only paused at the complete darkness beyond the next door.

Flipping over the edge of the doorway, X caught a glint of metal, and twisted, spreading his legs. The quick gesture spared him some nasty damage, as he'd just done the splits between two spikes. Brightening his helmet gem, X saw that he was in a valley of spikes between two otherwise featureless halves of a cube room. It took him a moment to shift his weight enough to kick-flip over to one side. The moment he was kneeling on solid metal again, however, the far side of the room changed as the lights flared.

Despite his darkened manner, X gawked as he recognized what the far wall was doing. Massive optics split open as gold and brass metal revealed a massive face. A large, mechanical 'nose' shifted out and expanded with hydraulic hisses to its full shape. Below was the top part of a mouth, hanging perfectly over the valley of spikes, like some absurd under-bite.

The eyes clearly focused down on him, but closed just as fast. When they opened again, one was blue, the other was red.

Instantly, both massive eyes came flying out of their sockets, rushing toward him. Each was bigger than X himself, and they were fast.

X dashed to his left, and then twisted as the red eye fired a trio of plasma bolts toward him in a blunt spread. It was easy to dodge, but X noticed his return fire of normal bolts just bounced off the clean, round surface of either eyeball.

The eyes rushed back to their sockets, and the lids closed.

That was when the room trembled, and the walls suddenly snapped toward the pit of spikes. X instantly kick-climbed up the wall, barely rising fast enough to avoid getting rammed into the spikes below.

Hissing hydraulics came from the collapsing nose, which detached from the wall, and rushed toward X with obvious intent to ram him off the surface. X boost-jumped himself off the wall, side-flipped over the charging machine, and slammed against the opposite wall, firing as he did so. His plasma shots, again, bounced off the thing's armored hide.

_If this thing wasn't trying so hard to kill me, I'd be asking who set me up for a practical joke. A giant face? Really?_ X had to think even as the nose reset itself, and the walls snapped open.

X landed harshly, but was already dashing as the eyes opened. This time one was green, the other blue. The blue one came shooting out to ram him, but the green stayed in its socket, and fired better-aimed, single bolts his way.

_What kind of surface would be heavily armored and function as a conductor for a plasma coil?_ X thought fast as he dodged, experimenting with his electrical bolts, torpedoes, and a charged blast. The fully charged wave did make the eye rock back, as did a torpedo shot, but it was clearly only lightly damaged.

X jumped as the walls came closing in again, climbing up, and preparing for the nose. _Wait, conductive yet durable materials. Sting Chameleon's entire focus for his stealth systems used the same principles. Meaning…_ He turned green-tinted, his buster reconfiguring.

As the nose came rushing at him, X dash-flipped and aimed in one gesture, firing a tri-part blast into the nose nearly point-blank.

The nose nearly blew apart, crashing into the far wall, and quickly resetting as it's compressed shape hid most of the damage.

X smiled, and dropped down, battle-focus back in his eyes. "Gotcha now."

This time two blue eyes opened. As they came charging toward him, X leapt back, aimed, and fired. The first triple-blast stopped them both, each shuddering where it floated for a core-pulse.

Not wasting the chance, X charged them, firing constantly, barraging the pair with slightly angled triple-shots. The right eye finally cracked and burst, raining down onto the spikes to the side. The left started to retreat, but took a hole through its left hemisphere, and simply fell down.

The walls started to close in, and X leapt up to meet his side. When the nose activated again, he smiled faintly, and leapt over, crashing onto it, and aiming his buster straight into the center of the hydraulics.

One more shot gutted the machine explosively, rather like an absurd sneeze of wreckage, and X back-flipped to the opposite wall.

The spikes were blown apart below him from a wave of flame the giant face belched forth. It flattened the alley, and exposed a sphere-lock doorway in the fire-scorched remains of the lower face.

Not wasting time, X dropped down and dashed, leaping through the doorway and out of the face-room before it changed its mind.

[Deeper…]

Now X felt like he was in a fortress. The walls were a sterilized white, hard and thick. Piping and other industrial features, like the grated catwalks all around, were substantially more militaristic and harsh than the previous sections of the fortress.

_And I can't hear the battle outside at all…_ X's eyes tightened as he thought of Zero, and how he would have to let everyone know. He touched his front, near where he kept Zero's components. "…I'm sorry."

He hurried on.

Opposition was strangely light, he discovered. Mining bots, the occasional turtle-mortar, but laughable compared to the armies outside, or even the forces he'd already faced.

The first sphere-lock door in the new section made him pause only because opposition had been so light. He took a breath, and dashed straight into it.

He saw a door across the chamber beyond, and didn't look back as his door sealed behind him. He did quickly focus on the awful tearing, shearing sound coming from the ceiling ahead of him. Something broke through at high speed, and X braced. He only fractionally eased as he saw Armor Armadillo unravel and land to all-fours, glaring back at him.

X already snapped to his electric buster format. "I have no need to harm you. Please stand aside."

"Oh, but I have a GREAT need to harm _you_!" Armor snarled, and suddenly blitzed into a roll toward X.

X knew the patterns this time, and the clone wasn't creative enough to change them. He leapt over the clone's initial rush, ducked the bounce-back, and fired once. The clone hit the wall and was unraveling in time to take a blast to the chest. His specialized armor started to electrocute him, forcing him to drop it as the real Armor had.

However, the clone looked up from this only to take another blast to the head. More came, blasting him back step by step, and finally critically overloading his system. His charred from dropped flat on its front. The sphere-lock door behind him opened before he even hit the ground.

X did linger a moment, grieving for these poor creatures made only to die and delay him. Shaking his head free of such thoughts, he dashed on.

Still, there was precious little resistance. He was blowing through enemies with ease, turning and dashing down halls, dropping down vents. He dashed straight through another sphere-lock gate before he really thought about it.

This room had strange walls. Littered with pipes and wires, it looked almost like a labyrinth of vines.

A familiar shuffling made X switch to his blade-cutter mode, and lock his eyes on the faint distortion to his left.

Sting Chameleon's clone hadn't even started to appear properly before it had to dodge a cutter. "Wow! Gotten a little grumpy, have you?" the clone challenged as he leapt back and rolled to a ready-stance.

X caught the blade he'd fired, and aimed. "You were about to fire with your tail. Now stand aside, and I won't harm you."

"Are you really going to try it with every one of us?"

"Yes."

The clone laughed, and then fired his tongue. X jerked to one side, but actually caught the tongue with his hand, and aimed his cutter-buster again. The clone's eyes widened.

X yanked, and step-kicked the clone away. "I'm serious. Stop, and I don't have to hurt you."

Sting stood up, sighing. "So are we, kid. Back at ya. Stop, and this ends."

"For all humans, yes. I can't allow that."

"Do you think it's any different for us?"

X firmed. "…So be it."

He dashed to his right, firing forward and to either side. Sting scrambled up the wall, cloaking, and leapt through the air as a distortion toward the hunter.

X looked up at the clone almost sadly, and fired again straight up. The clone's eyes widened, and he back-flipped under the direct attack… to take the returning three blades into his back.

The clone stumbled forward faintly. "…Good job. The real me… wouldn't have… fallen… for…" He just fell over.

X retrieved the cutters, whispering, "I know."

[Further…]

More halls, more paltry resistance. X found the next sphere-gate, and leapt clear through it, only really watching to make sure the ground was safe.

This time, the room stayed dark as the gate sealed. X waited, and then felt a familiar tremble through the flooring as something large landed ahead of him.

The lights that flashed around its frame made the clone of Spark Mandrill more obvious.

"Ready for another-!?" Spark never got to finish his sentence. He was frozen over in ice the next core-pulse.

X was standing firm, buster aimed in ice-gun configuration. "Stand down after breaking free, and you won't be harmed further."

Spark roared as he shattered free. "Never!"

The clone started to charge, but froze in place again. Just as it shattered the crystal prison, X fired again. Again, and again, and again.

Finally the clone stumbled back, clutching its torso. "A b-bit… harsher… than last time… kid."

X walked up to it, point-blank at its face with his blaster. "Stand down."

Spark sneered, and started to swing at him.

One more shot shattered the clone across the floor. X bowed his head, reverted his configuration, and then dashed on.

[On and on…]

When X dropped down into water, he knew who he was fighting next. More submariner bots were waiting for him, but it was still a laughable force. Swimming through their wreckage, X spotted the sphere-gate, and dashed inside.

He locked eyes with Launch Octopus' clone as it drifted down from an opening in the ceiling. He switched to his rolling-shield configuration as Launch landed on the flooring.

"Please stand aside. This doesn't have to get violent," X persisted calmly.

"You're the only one who still believes that, X," the clone rasped, lashing his tentacles.

"All the more reason to maintain the belief," X replied, his head tilting down.

Launch braced and fired with all four tentacles as his response.

X dash-swam into a drill maneuver through the torpedoes, and fired his rolling shield straight for the clone in their wake. Launch started to dodge, but lost two tentacles to the first shield, unbalancing him.

Another rolling-shield sent him crashing into the far wall through the water.

X aimed, but held. "Stop."

Launch whipped his remaining tentacles forward. This time X let him fire, simply side-stepping the torpedoes, and firing a shield after them to blow them up. Only when Launch then bodily charged did X fire at the clone again. This shot the clone did not survive.

Letting the shockwave from the last shot wash over him through the water, X sighed some bubbles out, and swam through the next sphere-gate.

[Out of the water…]

X used his camouflage to simply evade the next sections of bots. He felt ill just slaughtering them for obviously pointless tactics. He was relieved to see the next sphere-gate, and only paused at the threshold for the shear oddity of the chamber beyond.

It was huge, though longer than wide. It was also a crisscrossing mass of conveyor belt systems.

"The conveyors from the factory? Really?" X muttered, dropping down finally. He already had his turbine-buster configuration ready.

Neither he nor the clone of Flame Mammoth showed any surprise at seeing each other when the massive Reploid dropped down from above, nearly crushing the conveyor he actually landed on.

"Go ahead, say it," Flame began, almost laughing.

X firmed, but said, "Please stand aside. I have no need to harm you."

"Then I'll give you a reason or two!" the clone roared back, blaring a trumpet-call, and spinning around to fire off a lashing wave of fire as well.

The conveyors all snapped into motion. It did throw X a bit, forcing him to dive roll under the fire-wave at first. Seeing Flame flying through the air to land on him made X's eyes widen, but he quickly fired a tornado, and dashed aside.

Flame managed to dodge the tornado, landed on the conveyor where X had been, and twisted to fire a fresh flame-gout at the Hunter. It was his turn to widen his optics when he saw the tornado already blasting toward him from behind and to his right.

This one hit home, and sent the massive Maverick clone into the far wall with shuddering force.

Flame Mammoth wrenched out of the dent he made, and lashed flame-blasts toward X, X firing rushing tunnels of air back. The pair side-stepped, dashed, flipped, and countered constantly for several minutes. Flame was just limber enough with the switching conveyors, and X just off-kilter enough from the odd environment to keep them at each other's throats for a little longer.

At last, X burning with energy, Flame charging as he unleashed driving beams of fire, the two unleashed fully. X's power was simply greater. The wind-wall unleashed by X's charged turbine-buster nearly tore the room in half, and sent Flame's clone crashing back in pieces.

X watched the clone's body stop moving, and gave a solemn nod before hurrying to the exit gate.

[Down dark halls…]

X knew there were no more clones to expect unless Sigma wanted a repeat show. It left him troubled as he evaded most of the next groups of bots. He had to blow through one turtle-mortar, but managed to avoid harming the rest.

At the next sphere-gate, X finally stopped. _All this useless fighting. Just stalling? Testing? Why? Clearly Sigma has what he needs to launch his assault on humanity's hubs. I'm just a template, testing me is all but pointless. Why does he care?_ X shook his head, and stepped inside.

Another tunnel, leading to a second gate. X took it as well, dropping down into a room akin to the ones he fought most of the clones in.

In this one, however, waited a strange machine. It was rounded, almost cylindrical, but highly detailed, with repulsor 'wheels' arrayed around the base like a truck. It also had massive, dead eyes mounted on the forward, top portion.

Instantly, the top half of the machine lifted up on open air, and a huge energy reaction started. Waves of purple plasma built and swirled amidst crackling green power.

X's eyes flared, and he dashed along the wall.

The Truck fired, and X felt the tug of the inertia from the passing plasma sphere even though he was at least eight meters away from it. The shockwave from it hitting the far wall sent him flying across the room outright, and he slammed flat against the opposite wall.

The truck twisted, and started to charge. It was moving faster than Armor Armadillo while rolled up!

X barely dashed out of the way, watching the thing nearly bury itself in the super-armored bulkhead.

It ripped backward, and split in half. The lower portion chased after him, and only when X leapt over it did the upper half fly down and nearly cut his head off with its own charge.

This time X fired up at the top half, and watched his plasma-bolts disperse along the plating harmlessly.

_Tremendous power generation, heavily armored, and incredibly fast. Think, X! You can't combine those traits without a major problem!_ He had to dive out of another ram, followed quickly by a plasma-sphere.

_It's basically a tank. It can fire, but only after a slow, risky charge. The armor plating obviously counters that weakness, and the speed lets it ram quite effectively. It has to have a monstrous power core. Even a mild bit of damage would probably blow the thing sky-high. Again, the armor… What would go through armor that tough?_

X back-flipped under the top-half trying to crush him again, but he took a glancing blow from the follow-up charge by the lower half. It sent him crashing along the ground and into a corner. He did NOT need to be in a corner. Dash-leaping with full power, he still only barely got out of the thing's path in time. It buried itself in the bulkhead enough to actually need some time to get out, however.

And that was when X remembered. Dr. Light's armor completely bypassed by a cutting strike from Kuwanger. _Time to get serious,_ he thought, and his configuration snapped to darker details with his buster sprouting blades.

The next time the lower-half ripped toward him, X leapt up onto it, and fired toward the top half. It rushed around his first volley, and X dashed out from its path, flipping off the lower portion. Keeping the blades in the air and hurtling toward himself, X started to lead the truck's halves around the chamber in a mad blitz of dashing, ramming, and crashing.

At last, X kick-dashed off the wall near the ceiling, and flew over the top half of the truck. It twisted instead of moving, and took all three cutters across its belly.

They tore gaping fissures in the trucks top portion, and torrents of energy came blasting out like a storm contained to the room.

X landed and dashed aside, watching the lower portion crash into the wall and stop, while the upper portion meandered around, bouncing off the walls, scorching the air in its wake.

X formed a charged shield around himself with rolling-shield just as the truck finally blew apart in a brilliant flash of blinding power.

It left the room, except for the flooring directly under X, a scorched mess.

And that was when the roof above split open, revealing a dark, large tunnel going straight up.

X's brow creased, and he braced when a voice sounded over some kind of speaker system above.

"Well done, X. It seems I'll have to tend to this personally after all. Now what was that charming human expression? Welcome to my parlor, said the spider to the fly?" Sigma challenged with no attempt to hide his mirth before the signal ended.

X's fists clenched. Zero, Jessica, so many lives both human and Reploid lost for absolutely no reason. "…Coming right up… Sigma."

[Author's Note]

Thank you so much for the reviews and comments, everyone! Sorry for the big delay! I'm making steady progress, but had a great deal of RL stuff to deal with between the last update and now. Thanks for sticking with me!

This chapter ran the risk of being repetitive and heavy-handed. I'm not entirely sure if I succeeded in avoiding those weaknesses. I didn't want to 'skip over' the memorable 'Sigma Stages', and the clone Mavericks presented a unique plot-element I wanted to tackle head-on. I also greatly enjoyed writing for the three crazy Sigma bosses. Especially the spider. However, I'm not sure I set the pacing properly, or perhaps I _should_ have just skipped over it.

Whatever your take, please bear with me. Exciting things in the next chapter, and I'm already started on it, don't worry.

Thanks again, and, as always, your reviews and comments are keeping this beauty going!


	15. Chapter 14: One Stands, Three Fall

Chapter 14: "One Stands, Three Fall"

The war around the fortress shifted subtly. Metal, parts, and sparks were still flying, but the Hunter forces were unquestionably making steady progress at last. And there was a clear reason why:

"Enemy reinforcements have finally stopped, Dr. Cain!" Dex reported with understandable relief in his undertoned voice. "We're beginning to push them back!"

Alia looked up, still with a hand to one audio-sensor, "Confirmed, sir. Progress on all fronts. Whatever Zero and X are doing, it's working."

Dr. Cain nodded to them, but he looked forward grave. His eyes reflected the now-burning spires of Sigma's fortress as he frowned. _I wish that gave me any relief. My heart is heavy. Something terrible has happened. And X… I wonder if you'll survive this madness?_

[In the darkness, rising…]

Kick-dashing from one side to the other, X ascended the vertical passage with surprising speed. His eyes and face were locked with battle focus even as he sprang from wall to wall, constantly striving for the summit hidden by the shadows above.

It all kept swirling in his processing matrix. Zero's last moments, Jessica's, the horrors in Flame Mammoth's factory, Kuwanger and Sting Chameleon's cruel attacks all burned and broiled within him. The guilt over how viciously he had destroyed Vile oddly fueled this emotional fire. Now desperation joined his fervor. He had to be at his best, and not mad with grief. He couldn't cross the line again.

And then X found himself leaping over the lip at the edge of the ascent, neatly skidding along a meter or so in the darkness. His head snapped to one side to make sure he properly saw the sphere-lock door sealing over the top of the vertical tunnel. The almost blinding lights that snapped on next allowed X to fully turn around, as he found himself on one side of a large, cube-shaped chamber.

At a glance, most of the walls were heavily reinforced armor plating. _This chamber is designed to contain massive destruction_, X noted in his dark mood.

The wall to his left was different. Like an alien work of art, it featured sprawling masses of pipes, angular plating, spikes, and glistening hemispheres. It seemed vaguely designed in a wolfish form, as if technology and old Egyptian styles had fused for a moment.

X's attention was pulled from that wall to the one opposite him. The air shimmer faintly before Sigma fully appeared, his long cape lapping down around his brown boots and their spiked knee-guards. X's eyes slid up, scanning the much taller Reploid without fear or hesitation in their focus. Their optics met at last, and Sigma smiled faintly.

"So arrives the rookie Hunter, who showed them all his power. I've been looking forward to this, X. Far more than you could realize."

X's fists clenched. "Stand down. Disarm, and you will be taken into custody without harm."

Sigma's optics narrowed. "Don't be pathetic. If you want to act like their collared dog, I'll treat you like one."

The Maverick leader swept his left arm back, and revealed a purple and silver, sleak, sharp robotic dog.

"You see, I can't wait to kill you myself, but I wouldn't want to deny my pet that pleasure."

And Sigma flickered, vanishing.

X braced back, his eyes locking on the wolf-bot. It slinked forward somewhat, growling with an ethereal echo.

"Well, Sigma, at least you're consistent. You really do sacrifice ALL your loyal servants for your own ends."

Then the wolf charged, pouncing at X with wind-howling speed. X was more than primed for the fight of his life, however. The Hunter was out of the beast-bot's path with a shimmer in the air, and fired a few plasma bolts at the thing's back.

The wolf skidded across the flooring, sparking off the surface, and X watched his plasma bolts scatter and burst off the thing's hide without effect. Then the wolf braced and roared. A gout of fire erupted from its maw toward X.

This time, X burst out to the beast's left flank, his colors paler, his buster venting mist as he aimed in mid-dive. The beast was twisting toward him, but couldn't avoid the ice-blast that slammed into its flank.

Howling terribly, the beast-bot stumbled away a few steps, his armored side cracked.

"That armor is overused here," X said quietly, still braced. He was all too aware of Sigma's possible attempt to rush in and blast him in the back.

The wolf-bot growled, and charged again. This time X and the beast ripped into a ferocious display of agility and firepower. Gouts of fire, blast-orbs of plasma streamed after X as he flipped, rolled, and returned volleys of ice-bolts. The wolf-bot pounced, twisted, rolled, but still took hit after hit.

At last, the wolf skidded back again, X aiming from braced legs, and then the beast charged wildly. X fired once more. It hit the beast-bot's head square between the optics, and the critical damage to its armor finally expressed itself. The poor machine-pet's body simply flew apart as a wave around X's feet, sparking and scratching the whole way.

X's colors and buster reverted as he frowned down at the floor.

Sigma appeared across the room once more, and was still smirking. "Good. I was hoping you wouldn't disappoint me, X. You're prepared?" The question sounded as Sigma drew his cape off his shoulders, revealing his spiked pauldrons fully. A pale cylinder was gripped in the Maverick's right hand as well.

X's body began to wash over with energy, his eyes burning toward Sigma. "Why do this, Sigma? So much slaughter and ruin. For what?"

Abruptly, a malicious expression warped Sigma's face. It was alien to the body making it. A horrible show of cruel excitement, vicious humor. He suddenly seemed demonic. "To draw you out!"

X's sincere confusion relaxed his battle-focus for a core-pulse. "…Me?"

The air sheared around Sigma's charge, a beam-blade of green power erupting from the hilt in his hand as he hurtled toward the Hunter.

X snapped his buster up with both arms, firing a fully charged plasma-wave. The back-wash pulsed, the air shook, but X's optics flared as he watched Sigma cleave through the energy wave in one mighty swing, surging through over X's head with a wicked sneer.

Forced to dodge, X twisted and side-stepped out from Sigma, who dented the flooring with his landing.

"Come on, X! You've got more than that locked away in you!" Sigma roared, and burst toward the smaller Reploid again.

Knowing his powered blast wasn't reliable enough, X adapted quickly. He dashed to meet Sigma, and pirouetted under the Maverick, firing rapid blasts into the larger Reploid's frame. They left scorch marks, but no real damage.

Instead, Sigma inverted in mid-flight, flipping over himself, and stabbed down at X. The Hunter snapped his legs apart, letting the blade melt into the floor right at his torso. X grabbed the sword-wrist, and snapped a punch right into Sigma's face. Sigma was startled to see the tactic, and stumbled back from the surprise of the strike.

X back-rolled and braced on his feet, eyes sharp.

Sigma rubbed his large jaw. "Interesting. I've been watching your fights. Every time, you change styles. But not just to adapt to the opponent. That must be the key. Adaptation. Well… we both use that of a kind, X!" he suddenly resurged, charging as he roared the finish.

X back-flipped, kicking the sword-hand up, and tried a combination of close-range plasma blasts, punches, and kicks, but Sigma was sliding around them like X was a flailing child.

In turn, however, X was folding, weaving, and writhing around the green blade at all times. It was an alien ballet, simultaneously elegant and bestial.

X began charging power as they fought, and finally came around from an inverted twist, ramming his buster toward Sigma's chest, streaming energy off the barrel already. Sigma was smiling, and his hand released his sword, inverted, caught the hilt again, and stabbed it clean toward to the buster.

X's eyes flared, watching the blade drive into the core of his buster like a sheath, energy exploding through its vents, and harmlessly away from Sigma.

Sneering down over the lodged weapons, Sigma taunted, "So focused on your buster, X. What would you do without it?"

Looking from Sigma to the buster and back, X seemed anything but worried. Grim focus still held firm on his visage.

"For all that has happened," X began slowly, "for all the innocent blood spilt," Jessica's lifeless face, "for all the friends lost," Zero, the factory, "for all the suffering caused," Alia, battered in Chill's base, Dex after Kuwanger's capture, "I would fight you without my arms, without my core, without my armor. I would fight you until my dying breath, Sigma."

And then Sigma's optics flashed to the buster and blade, shock shattering over his face. Green energy was starting to writhe over the buster, and down over X's frame.

Through gritted teeth, the air humming with power, X finished, "I know about the infection. This _ends_ today."

And then Sigma's optics stared into X's. The understanding of the infection shattered all pretense.

X roared, shoving forward, and he fired.

Sigma cried out as green-white power erupted between them, spanning the breadth of the room, utterly engulfing his larger frame. The deafening roar of power only slowly faded, revealing the steaming, furious frame of Sigma against the far wall, his blade limply aimed toward the ground.

X's eyes were sharp, neither relieved nor upset. "You're not using Spark Mandrill's armor-design. Hm. Scorch marks from the plasma…" His colors snapped to pale brass and gold hues as his buster shifted, and started to spark with electrical power. "You're using refined, polarized metal."

Sigma seemed bitterly outraged as he slowly stood straight, raising his sword. "You truly are his master work, X."

"You said this was all to get me out and into view, didn't you?" X challenged, battle-tension still very much holding his frame. "Why the obsession? The infection is an aggression spike, it has no inherent focus or target."

Sigma started to smile. "That's the real question, isn't it?"

And then the Maverick leader flickered again.

X braced to his right, buster snapping in a stabbing gesture to his left. The glowing, sparking barrel collided with Sigma's blade amidst fracturing light, the pair locking optics for a core-pulse.

Sigma shot past the Hunter, hit the wall, and shot toward X with the same light-warping speed.

X responded in kind, forward-flipping to snap his buster under and up into the next blade-strike, sending a kick after Sigma that narrowly missed.

The two flew into a dizzying array of dash and counter attacks, X staying near the center of the room as Sigma blitzed back and forth. The Hunter Reploid twisted, writhed, danced, and rammed between the brutally precise blade attacks.

Sigma ripped toward X once more, and this time halted as their weapons struck. With a sneer, he flickered out of sight completely, not passing X. X stepped back with his right foot, looking around slowly, waiting for the next attack.

Air shearing around his armored frame, Sigma appeared at X's back, sword held up and back for a full-body swing down into the Hunter's exposed armor. "I'll finally see you die!" he roared as he wrenched the weapon down with a roar of energy searing through air.

X's left arm snapped up, perfectly meeting Sigma's sword-wrist above X's own head. The sparking buster was aimed back over its own shoulder the next moment, straight into Sigma's widening optics.

"I'm surprised Kuwanger didn't beat you with an attack that obvious," X breathed out as he looked over his shoulder at the Maverick leader, and then fired.

Sigma fell back, energy crackling and writhing over his frame as he screamed in pain, clawing at himself. The sword fell to the ground without its blade, clattering off to the wall.

X twisted, and braced properly with his buster, opening fire. Blast after blast of condense electrical power ripped across the gap between the two Reploids, tearing through Sigma's plating and armor, overloading every advantage he had over the armored Hunter.

It wasn't the same as with Vile. X's optics were focused and sharp. His intent was violent in result, but precise in motivation. Sigma's body was too well built to take risks. It had to be neutralized.

At last, Sigma was a steaming, humanoid mass of charred metal, and he crashed to his knees. Somehow, he was still functional. His optics creased open before he fell flat on his face with a groan of his voice and his damaged body both. "…No… not… possible," he rasped.

X's colors reverted, and he walked over to Sigma. "Surrender. Now."

Sigma sneered up at X from the floor, still mostly pressed into it. "Never, X. A battle lost, no doubt, but I… am not so easily defeated. You don't know how to kill me."

"I'm not going to kill you. I'm going to tear out your system buffer and pull your actual personality processor out," X listed off with frigid ease.

Sigma's visible optic tightened. "I was hoping you might gloat a little."

X's brow creased. "What?"

A mechanical arm shot out of the back wall, and grabbed Sigma's head before X could think to stop it. X instantly snapped his buster up, starting to fire, but the arm was lightning fast. It tore Sigma's head clean off, pulling it up around the plasma-bolt X fired, and up into the gloom near the ceiling against the wall.

Facing the wall, X's eyes widened as he kept his buster ready. "What the…"

Massive optics flared in the darkness. What had been a stylized molding of metal revealing itself was a fully functioning robotic, armored wolf-head, pulling itself forward with Sigma's head as an interfaced, morbid diadem in its forehead.

Armored shoulders wrenched free of their moorings, the trunk of a body angling out from the wall, and tremendous, hydraulic arms lifted out of the floor, brandishing massive blades for talons, each of which could neatly slice X in half.

"Witness the fruits of my labors, X, and die in awe!" Sigma's voice was magnified and deepened into a feral roar that shook the chamber.

X saw the energy building in the beast-machine's throat. Blasting his boost-thrusters at maximum force, he flew backward, and watched the torrent of plasma spheres that filled the room from floor to ceiling in an air-scorching onslaught.

Trying to kick-boost off the wall his back was toward, X's eyes managed to catch the flicker of motion above him. He dove toward the beast's body, rolling quickly enough to see the claw blur past the wall he'd nearly used. The massive gouges in the armored bulkhead appeared after the visual presence of the limb.

Twisting as he rolled, X finally boosted away from the wall. It granted him a view of the opening maw, this time burning with true flames as the half-body of the goliath construct showed how surprisingly nimble it was. The other claw was sweeping in from the far side, too. It was closing much faster than X was charging. More, the claw recovering above him was crackling with arcs of lightning.

For a core-pulse, it overwhelmed him. The certainty of death, the frustration of failure… and then the horrors that had driven him to this very moment. Slaughter and madness. Even his own hands were stained by it now.

X's face calmed, becoming stern and focused. As the claw swept in from ahead, the flames gushed forth from the side, and the lightning exploded in his wake, the Reploid twist-hopped into the air as energy began to bleed over his frame.

His left boot hit the swiping claw's knuckles, letting him jump clean over the flames, then the lightning. Still turning as he ascended over the broiling tongues of fire and crackling nest of power, X drew his buster toward Sigma's head secured in the beast's crown.

Both Sigma's original eyes, and the optics of the monstrosity were widening as it happened. They watched as the overwhelmed Reploid rose out of the assault, and coldly aimed while bathed in power.

_How can he do it?_ Sigma's thoughts wondered in slower time, watching the energy as it danced around X. _So much power in such a small frame, constant and unwavering. A perfect body, with the will to use it._

Rage overcame the shock in the gestalt faces, the mechanical beast already trying to rise to refocus it's assaults.

X fired. A fully charged wave of plasma-fire ripped out, pulsing out in a shock behind him as well.

Sigma was belted back as if punched squarely by some mighty fist. X simply flipped over and landed on spread legs, one hand down, looking back up at his foe.

_It's not enough,_ X realized with sharpened optics. _It hit, but his armored hide is too strong._

Lightning blazing over both claws, Sigma roared, and started to sweep both in as bolts ripped toward X. The Reploid shifted colors, regaining his electrical power, and started to dash around the jolting arcs of destruction. Sigma saw something akin to Kuwanger's flickering teleports, but was too enraged to be shocked.

A volley of electrical bolts flew up from the scattering images of X as well. However, they crashed against Sigma's mighty frame without a sign of harm.

During a hand-flip over the wrist of the right claw, just behind the sparking charge-node on its back, X realized, _He's overcome the weakness of polarized armor. Of course, he could just generate a counter current with a body that massive. I need something that can tear the armor itself apart physically. Not just brute force, but dismantling. Something like…_ X side-flipped away from the claw, his optics watching its talons split open the armored flooring like warm butter.

A flash of Armor Armadillo ripping through solid rock like it was water, of the rolling shield tearing through water and force to drill straight into Launch Octopus' frame.

"Worth a shot," X muttered, and his colors snapped again, his buster rippling back into the rolling-shield launcher.

With a side-dash around another blitzing swipe of the left claw, X hurtled toward the wall. The claws and plasma-breath came ripping after him. Pulling his frame up as he reached the wall, X started to kick-boost up the wall one leg at a time, the wall becoming a mass of exploding power and shearing metal in his wake.

At last, just when his head was going to hit the ceiling, X back-flipped over the closest claw, feeling the burning waves rushing up off the destruction below.

Landing on the forearm, X twisted and leapt for the head once more. Sigma roared at him, optics sharpening with murderous rage. Meeting those optics with the same focus and determination, X planted one hand on the tip of the snout, and brought his buster up, over, and down into the casing around Sigma's original head.

The rolling shield fired point-blank. It twisted X himself up into the air, but rammed Sigma's head down and away as well. Both reeled from the collision, X flipping over and landing heavily on the floor again. His eyes locked on the warped metal marking the beast's head as it recovered to glare at him.

"Not so awe-inspiring with a burn mark on your face, are you?" X called up with mild hints of humor in his tone at last.

Sigma roared, the room shaking violently as he balled his fists and built power up in his throat.

"I agree, let's get serious," X rasped, a slightly darker edge bleeding over his eyes as his head tilted down.

[Outside…]

X did not know his battle was affecting the war outside as well. The bots were faltering. The island seemed to shake subtly at random intervals. The Hunters were coordinating and adapting, but it was strange.

Alia touched her ear, "Dr. Cain! Sir, I'm reading massive power draw from inside the fortress. It's also sinking. The entire facility is losing energy!"

Dr. Cain looked from her out to the island below. "…Come on Zero, X… Finish it."

[In the battle…]

Scissoring claws rent the ground beneath X, but he leapt high and fired rolling shields down. The arms were batted aside, and he dashed straight into the unleashing wave of plasma force. X sped through and under the blast, to the base of Sigma's torso, and then started to climb up and around the behemoth's frame.

Sigma wrenched and twisted, clawing at himself to try and get X off. X was nearly flung off multiple times, but he held fast, and continued climbing, blasting the arms away as needed. At last, he flipped over onto the top of the head, aimed down, and fired down into the snout yet again.

This time a deep crack tore across the beast's muzzle. X was flung off from the impact tremor, but he aimed as he flipped, and fired again. It knocked Sigma's frame down to the side, cracks forming around the bubble holding the original head.

"You're out of time, Sigma!" X called, only loud to be clear. As he landed, he braced. "Surrender before it's too late!"

The beast glowered up at him from beneath one claw, then lunged with maw wide and claws ready. X twisted, aimed, and fired once. The shield-blast tore straight into the beast's gullet, and rammed it back into the wall.

Even as the wall buckled, Sigma's right claw snapped down like a lightning strike, also crackling with the power, fully ready to crush X into the ruined floor. The gate in the center of the floor was already hanging from its hinges.

X was glowing before it hit, and his buster snapped up. The two limbs collided, and the result left Sigma staring.

Though the floor dented down under X's boots, the Reploid was holding his arm high, his body rippling with energy. X forced the massive claw up, revealing that he was pulling its lightning down into his buster, his glowing optics locked up at Sigma with a terrible kind of satisfaction.

"I will never stop, Sigma. Not while innocents could suffer. Not while people could be slaughtered just for being in the wrong place. Surrender, I beg you," sorrow finally bled into his eyes, showing the depth of sincerity. It was a mad mixture of furious fighting power and remorseful sage. "The fighting is the enemy, not each other. Just stop…"

"I will never stop, X. I have a drive you can't understand, and it is endless!" Sigma roared, and started to lean down into X, trying to push him down as power built in the machine's throat once more.

"It's just an infection! Your rational mind knows that, Sigma!" X roared back. He did not falter. "It has to stop! There is no reason for this slaughter!"

"Reploid ascendency-!?"

"WAS NEVER YOUR GOAL! You just wanted to butcher and destroy! That's the infection, Sigma!"

Sigma's face calmed, but his other claw came wrenching inward.

X's face locked into a hard frown, and he began to twist. As the other claw came in, he twisted and leapt. As the one claw came down, he shifted sideways. As the other came in, he arced over it.

Almost leisurely landing on the far side of the swipe, X aimed up into Sigma's monstrous optics, and fired once. The air pulsed, metal tore open and flew apart, fire and sparks danced around them both as Sigma's original head started to fall loose and the hulking body beneath started to crack and falter upon itself.

[Outside…]

The fortress began to quake violently, and then sink with building speed. Alarms sounded across the fleet as Deepfreeze, Depthcharge, Inferno, Overload, Barrel, and Quickman led their squads back to the descending air-ships for evacuation. The bot armies were falling apart on their own as the island began to crumble and weaken.

Dr. Cain gripped his cane violently. "Come on… get out of there."

Alia stood up, watching with hollow eyes from fear for her friends.

Dex remained seated, but was watching nevertheless.

[Inside…]

Feeling the fortress giving way, X grabbed Sigma's old head, and tore the processor out of it. He dashed to the original body battered into the corner, and ripped the system buffer out of it, too. Stowing both in his compartment with Zero's data, X touched his comm.

"The jamming is down," he muttered as his sensors confirmed it. Looking up, light engulfed him, and he teleported out as the chamber fell upon itself.

[Watching the collapse…]

Airstrike had managed to grab most of his hidden comrades, and he stood at the prow of his ship with them, all of the redeemed Mavericks, save Sting Chameleon who simply didn't have a body yet. The start of the explosions glimmered in their optics.

On Dr. Cain's ship, he, Alia, and Dex all moved out onto the prow as well. They could see the fortress starting to angle itself slowly, crumbling and exploding in small chain reactions as it started to dive down into the ocean below. Alia's face was still empty from sorrow, fear growing painfully in her core.

"X… Zero…" she whispered.

Dr. Cain's brow creased. _Damn you both. Get out of there!_

On the other ship, Deepfreeze frowned as well. "Time to get moving, kid."

Barrel sighed through gritted teeth. "Not my favorite kind of tension. They had to have won, or the fortress wouldn't be going down."

Airstrike straightened his posture, and despite his grim face, he saluted.

His friends saw the example, and they each began to stand straight and salute as well. The crew behind them and the rescued warriors from the war-zones began to join.

Across the fleet it started to spread. Dr. Cain, Alia, and Dex glancing around as their allies and friends all stood to attention and showed respect, alive or dead, for the heroes who had just ended the war.

Dex saluted next. Alia swallowed a lump, and then started to salute as well, tears quietly dripping down her face.

At last, Dr. Cain clenched his jaw, and brought one hand up to salute as well.

A glimmer of light sparked above, and then arced down, slamming into the prow of the ship just in front of Dr. Cain.

Everyone saw it, hope igniting in their hearts.

X poured out of the energy, crouched silently for a moment with a bowed head. Alia's relief clenched in her throat as she realized he was alone. She'd never felt so horribly confused by her own emotions. Deep relief crashed into heart-breaking sorrow all over again.

Dr. Cain waited, though pain was growing in his eyes. "…X…"

The Reploid slowly stood up, meeting Dr. Cain's eyes, then Alia's. Alia's tears intensified, and she looked down. X returned his gaze to Dr. Cain, and walked forward, pulling Zero's chip and core from his torso. He gently offered them toward Dr. Cain, like treasured keepsakes.

"Zero sacrificed himself to save my life," X whispered, unable to look up into Dr. Cain's eyes.

Dr. Cain took the items close to his chest, bowing his head. Then, however, he lifted his other hand off of his cane, and gripped X's shoulder. X looked up, tears in his own eyes.

"…He'd be proud of you, X. You did it."

X closed his eyes, tipping his head to Dr. Cain to thank him, but unable to speak. A flash from the waters below made everyone turn and focus on the falling fortress.

In a brilliant rush of light, the fortress utterly vaporized, a geyser of plasma ripping up into the sky to announce its final destruction.

As everyone watched, many starting to cheer and holler for their victory, Alia hung back, and her eyes found X again. She watched him sorrowfully soaking in the view, his hand gripping his buster with almost crushing force.

Moving closer, Alia reached up, and touched his shoulder.

X blinked, finding her eyes instantly. Alia offered a meek smile, and then offered her arms. X eased, and flowed tower her, embracing her tightly as they both wept for their lost friend and comrade.

"Dr. Cain is right… He'd be so proud," Alia whispered tightly.

"I know," X whispered, muffled in her shoulder. She could feel him trembling. "I just wish he could tell me himself…"

"…We all do."

Against the burning pillar of light that was slowly fading, amidst cheering allies and grieving friends, X realized he'd never felt more peace in his life than in the forgiveness of the arms holding him. …And he knew he couldn't stay in them.

[Author's Note]

I figured the battle between X and Sigma deserved its own chapter. Hopefully it wasn't a disappointment for all you fine folks who waited so long for it! Ironically, I never had to replay MMX during any part of this story, because the game was so etched into my mind. This entire fight was done completely from memory with my original elements tossed in. You'd be surprised how hard it is to take a 2D battle and make it work recognizably in 3D. A fun challenge, all the same.

Of importance here, for the overarching story, is the combination of ferocity, focus, and willingness to stop fighting all combined in X. This is what makes him a hero rather than another Sigma. He's riding the tide of rage, but honing it into power to protect people and stop the madness. It's a frustrating line, neither wholly embracing peace nor giving into the rage to completion. At any time, if Sigma had put down his weapon, X would have stopped. Especially after Vile, X would have made sure of it.

The cards are officially on the table for X. He knows he can turn into a ballistic killer, and he knows he can overcome almost any adversary thanks to the gifts he was born with. It's on him now, and he's both afraid of and empowered by that fact. This is my Megaman X. Take him for what you will.

As to reward you good folks who stuck through with all the delays, you get a special double-feature! The battle-chapter with Sigma, *and* the finale chapter up next. I'll have more to say in the note on that.


	16. Chapter 15: Maverick Hunter X

9

Chapter 15: "Maverick Hunter X"

Reconstruction filled the air across the city surrounding Maverick Hunter headquarters. Though it was only a couple of weeks after Sigma's defeat, a statue had been lovingly raised at the public entrance to the massive facility in Zero's honor. He stood tall, buster out, hair frozen lashing in the wind.

A public memorial had been held, and seeing so many humans and Reploids together, united in honor of the fallen hero, was a moment long-remembered. The human-led government that had ordered the Maverick Hunters be founded softened its outlook on all Reploids because of it. A very public martyr shifted opinion like few things could.

Things were just starting to quiet down at last. Enough to address some simpler loose ends. Dr. Cain sat in his large office inside headquarters, his eyes tightened up at X, who stood across the large table from him.

"And you don't challenge the findings?" Dr. Cain asked quietly.

X shook his head. "I think it was wholly appropriate, Dr. Cain. I'm also not here for honors or rank. I… My brashness cost him his life. I see so many ways to save him now."

As X bowed his head, Dr. Cain sadly glanced off to the right, where an armored vault waited. Inside were Zero's core components. _Do I tell him of my own plans? His heart is broken for Zero's loss… Yet this was a lesson he had to learn. Perhaps… yes, it's too soon anyway, it would only be cruelty to give him false hope if it proves too difficult._ To X, he said aloud, "Truthfully, I agree. I trust, as we continue to protect the public from Mavericks that you will…" he hesitated fractionally, stuttering the word a bit, "fall more in line?"

X nodded. "Of course, sir."

A lower officer obeying a superior. That was the fate of their once-close relationship. Dr. Cain was mourning it in the silence behind his eyes, but couldn't speak to it. "Go get ready, then. Everyone's been waiting for this."

X bowed, and quickly walked out of the office. Dr. Cain was left alone, looking down into nothing.

The human never saw X touch his audio receptor after he stepped out of the office, walking down the hall. /Any progress?/

Deepfreeze's encrypted signal replied, /Yes, X! I think he's ready. Overload and Inferno have been working overtime, and we think the recovery should be complete. You saved him, X! The best hunter we ever had might still be able to help!/

X lowered his hand, /Let's hope so. Going silent. And make sure Shimmer shows his manners around Alia and Dex, they're friends./

Deepfreeze chuckled, /Roger that./

[With Alia and Dex…]

"Dex, come on! We'll miss it!" Alia pleaded with a bit of humor as she stood up, quickly shutting down her console as she hopped from one foot to the other.

Dex's optics shrank sidelong with his version of a smirk. "You're awfully excited."

Alia stopped, and gave him a look over her shoulder. "Just what are you implying?"

Both Reploids jerked and held their fronts with instant relief when the air distorted between them and revealed a gangly Reploid with blue-green armor and optics crafted like large goggles that constantly focused and twisted in different directions. "That you like X, of course," the newly appeared Reploid declared with a big grin. It was wider than anything, and his lips actually segmented to allow it.

Alia set her hands on her hips. "Shimmer, how many times do we have to tell you about just popping out of thin air like that?"

He shrugged. "Not my fault your optics are archaic. Hmph!" He started to march around her. "So come on. We don't want to miss your boyfriend's official induction."

Alia's face turned pink as she gawked. Dex controlled his laughter for her sake as she blustered, "I-wha-that's not! SHIMMER!"

Shimmer cackled, and ran before she could dash after him, all three running out of the lab to finally ease into mutual laughter. Alia did shove Shimmer's shoulder as a playful punishment, however.

/Hey, Sting,/ Deepfreeze's voice came over Shimmer's internal channel.

His optics twitching, Shimmer pretended he was just distracted by the wall. /You're going to slip with my old name if you keep using it on this channel, _Chill_./

/Eh, takes a bit of getting used to. X says to be nice to his friends over in logistics, mind you./

/Oh I only terrify them a few times a day…/

/Good boy./

/Freeze./

/Shimmer./

/Oh whatever. Shimmer out./

[In the mess…]

The mess-hall of headquarters had been temporarily converted to a ceremonial chamber. Hundreds of chairs, filled with Hunters of very squad and department, spanned the large space, with a raised stage at the back arrayed with beautiful gold and red curtains and sculptures.

Alia, Dex, and Shimmer quickly filed into a middle-row. Airstrike, Barrel, Inferno, Deepfreeze, Quickman, Overload, and Depthcharge were all scattered through the crowd as well, many smiling quietly.

Though they had only worked directly with X for a short time, each and every one of them was taken by his dedication and the charisma of his idealism. The original Reploid wasn't afraid of battle, but desperately wanted to avoid it. After their pain and torment, nothing could seem like a purer goal.

All optics focused on the stage as Dr. Cain stood up at the podium. He cleared his throat faintly, and addressed the crowd. "Thank you all for coming to this vital moment. A great tragedy has befallen all of us, but so has great heroism. It is in recognition of that heroism that we take this chance to officially welcome one of our bravest and most capable number into the Hunters."

Cheers and applause already sounded through the hall. Dr. Cain didn't bother trying to quiet them. He simply turned to his left, and gestured quietly to someone off to the side.

X finally appeared, gently stepping up onto the platform. He was blushing a bit, clearly anxious as the cheers and applause intensified. He gave a couple of anxious waves as he walked up to Dr. Cain.

At last, the crowd calmed down, though Alia was one of the last, smiling happily for her friend. And he looked so adorable embarrassed as he was.

Dr. Cain gestured for X to stand at his side, and then turned back to the podium as X stood at ease, facing the crowd. The observant members of the crowd, including Alia and the X-Hunters, saw the grave set to X's face in that moment.

Dr. Cain began to speak again. "We all know this Reploid's accomplishments. There is no question we would be struggling to prevent terrible losses of life beyond the already high tolls without his aid. It is, however, also true that his decisions and actions took great risks, and some had great costs of their own."

Now the crowd was confused, Alia focusing from Dr. Cain to X.

"It is because of all of this that we induct Megaman X into our number, and directly promote him to B-class Hunter."

The room was strangely silent as X and Dr. Cain faced each other, shaking hands as Dr. Cain placed the magnetic medal on X's chest.

Alia's shoulder sank as she whispered, "…Zero…"

X then stepped forward to the podium himself, Dr. Cain drawing back.

"It's true that I helped stop a mad tyrant. It's also true that I cost us one of our brightest and best. You've all seen the fighting, you've all been at it longer than me. From this day forward, I will fight with you… until the day when we don't have to fight any more."

It was Inferno who started to salute first this time. Haunted by his memories of the factory, his guilt and urge to help rising up in him, he felt compelled by X's voice and words. Though few in the crowd understood X's full meaning, every word of it was true.

Alia stood straight and saluted next.

The X-Hunters joined them, Dex, and even Dr. Cain from behind the latest B-class Hunter. X eased back gently, watching as the crowd slowly and steadily fell into salutes.

X stood straight, and raised his hand to salute back. "In memory of Zero. So that no one is afraid to live."

"FOR ZERO!"

[Elsewhere…]

Down in the hideout as last, X pulled the medal off his chest, and placed it on the work-desk to one side of the data-chamber. Without a second glance, he sat down at the holographic interface where he'd spoken with every redeemed Maverick.

This time, the face that formed was Sigma's own. His optics were downcast at first, but active in the transparent, ghostly display.

"…Welcome back, Commander Sigma," X began sincerely.

Sigma slowly raised his eyes, and started to smile. "I owe you more than you know, X." His voice caught, and he managed, "…How… can you forgive what I've… done?"

"I've never been infected with the Maverick virus, Sigma. I can't understand its power. I do know that the others I've freed of its influence have proven to be the best allies I could ask for."

"Save Zero…"

X looked down, but nodded.

"You were wise to spare me as much as merciful, X. You must understand more about the virus. None of the others were shown what I was shown."

X leaned closer, eager as a newborn for the knowledge Sigma offered. "Go on?"

"Do you know how I was infected?" Sigma started carefully, optics tightened.

X shook his head.

"…Some months before my rebellion, I fought a Maverick unlike any other. He was mad and ferocious, but undeniably powerful. We couldn't even identify how his power systems functioned. I nearly died myself, but I managed to best him. I know now it was a lucky blow, nothing more."

X's brow creased. "Was he the carrier?"

Sigma nodded. "I know now that he was the original Maverick, and that the Maverick problem was engineered specifically in response to one thing."

"What thing?"

"You, X," Sigma clearly stated, his head easing back for the gravity of the statement. "It's greatest goal and uniform focus is to consume or corrupt you."

X's optics were wide. "…Why?"

Sigma had to smile faintly. "It's terribly simple really. You know your… father's history?"

X nodded slowly.

"That Maverick I fought, the original Maverick, was designed to be your match. Your opposite. Tell me, X… what do you know of how Zero came to be on our side?"

X's eyes flared, and he stood up, staring at the screen. "…He wasn't another Reploid? I thought he was built with you…"

Sigma shook his head. "He was the Maverick I fought, X. A vicious and terrible creature… but still not as powerful as you. I struck his head during the battle, and his core system purged… downloading the virus carrier into my system. It was a back-up if the original plan failed. If the body could be defeated, then the intent and drive would still survive, no matter how many bodies it took."

X looked down, his fists clenching. "…Who made him?"

"I think you know now, X."

"…Dr. Wily."

Sigma's image nodded. "The Maverick virus is Dr. Wily's revenge on your father… on you. And I'm afraid I wasn't the primary host, X. Not anymore. I knew one thing that none of the others knew during the infection. That I downloaded the virus into a secure network that broadcast it out to other secret hubs. This war isn't over yet, X. I'm afraid it may just be starting… and it's my fault."

X shook his head slowly. "No, Sigma. …It's mine. Zero… he was sincerely with us. I have no doubt of that."

"Yes, very much so. Before the infection fully corrupted me, even I admired him. He overcame my own distrust, being one of the few who understood what he had been. I think Dr. Cain's work on him, modeling repairs after you like the other Reploids and my supposed counter-measures to corruption, helped give Zero a chance to be his own Reploid. And he showed himself to be a hero. The virus is Wily's true child."

X wiped his hands down his face, and then leaned onto the desk heavily. "…The fear and chaos this information could spread…"

"Yes, it would be a disaster. An enemy with a face is easy to manage, but a network-hopping super-virus? Capable of controlling Reploids? At best, the human authorities would have us all shut down."

X's jaw clenched. "…Sigma, it has to be stopped. Truly and fully, but… in secret."

"I understand. I am forever grateful for this chance to help. Anything to try to undo what I've caused… I deserve to be disconnected."

X shook his head. "I can't kill you, Sigma. You're one of us. No… I need to tell you about a plan of mine. I need to tell you about the X-Hunters."

[Down in the deep, once more…]

As the world began to recover, the waters hiding the wreckage of Sigma's fortress were churning quietly. They were disturbed from deep below. Down through the darkness and water, deep inside the jagged tomb of metal and rock, three shadows lingered in their malefic intent.

A small figure crouched down, his metal body able to act almost normally in the water. His white hand scraped through the sand, revealing a small shard of red metal. "And here we are," his muffled voice rippled through the water to his two comrades.

The tall, thin member of the trio had to fold nearly in half to view the shard, sharp angular edges protruding into the shadows around his frame. "Very well, Serges, you win. We've found what the master called for."

The bulky mass to their left stomped forward once, and drove his hand into the muck, pulled a chunk of Zero's lower body out of the wreckage. "Then stop wasting time, Agile. We have work to do."

Serges stood up straight, one red optics glowing ominously in the darkness. "Violin, with your mucking about, you'll destroy the very thing the master seeks. Let Agile tend to the extraction. You, my unsubtle friend, are going top-side. Megaman X is ripe for the hunt. Sigma's X-Hunters have much to prepare, don't we?"

Violin chuckled, and started to move away. "So we do, Serges. So we do."

[Later…]

A week later, in the hideout, X and his secret team were united for a rare meeting. They all stood just off from a large mechanical door, loosely gathered, X simply the closest to the door.

"I have to admit, it'll be nice to have him back. No offense, X," Shimmer chose to say, glancing to the original Reploid at his left.

X smirked at the reborn chameleon. "None taken. I'm feel the same."

And then the doors hits apart, hydraulics pressing them open in three parts. One rose high, the lower parts spread to either side.

As the mist trailed off, a powerfully built Reploid was revealed, his frame primarily black with an armor support mask around his jaw, and pale blue coloration for his upper arms and legs. Strong blue eyes opened up at the group, and he smiled. Stepping out into the open, he stretched a bit, and rubbed his neck. "Not a bad fit!"

X chuckled, and let the others rush closer, clapping Sigma on the back or shoulders. Airstrike even gave him a brotherly hug, muttering, "Welcome back, sir."

X offered his hand, and as Sigma shook it, X said, "Welcome back, indeed, Sigma."

Sigma waved it down casually. "No, no. From now on… Call me Signas."

The group chuckled with him, and X tipped his head. "Signas it is."

Deepfreeze tipped his head back. "Welcome to the X-Hunters, old friend."

Signas actually bowed. "The honor is mine, brothers. And now," he began again with idle humor, "to become a green recruit all over again."

The others chuckled, Inferno clapping his back again. X shrugged, "We can bring you in higher, you know? Your aptitude will look a little strange from a totally green Reploid."

Signas shook his head. "Don't worry, I can hide it properly. And it's important to me. I need to work back up properly. It's… a matter of honor."

X tipped his head. "Fair enough. I'm glad you're with us."

"None more so than me, X. Let's end this war."

They shook hands again.

[A calm…]

X sat in his office one afternoon, going through data on his console. Signas had gotten through basic training with almost flawlessly average numbers. X had to hand it to Sigma, the Reploid was almost frightening in his skill.

His door chimed, and X looked up. "Come in?"

Alia appeared, datapad in arm. She offered a gentle smile, and eased closer to his desk. "I wanted to let you know how things were progressing in the other sectors, but that's actually not my real reason for coming."

X blinked. "…I see."

Alia set the datapad down, and looked into his eyes directly. "Can we please talk?"

She caught it. The momentary wince in his eyes. It was guilt, pain, and frustration all at once, gone in the blink of an eye.

"…Of course," he gestured to a chair.

Alia took one, and pulled it closer before she sat. "I'm worried about you, X. I know… I know you must miss him terribly."

X nodded, glancing down.

"…It wasn't your fault, X."

"Enough of it was," X chose to answer, looking up at her with his stoic mask. It was the same mask Mavericks had seen before falling at his hands. His real focus, his duty.

Alia glanced down, a hand still resting on his desk. "Making you B-Class is a bad joke, X. You're the best hunter we have."

"And I cost us one of the best hunters we had as well, Alia," X replied, his head tilting to one side, his eyes softening with his tone. "I am content with my rank and classification, Alia. I promise you that."

Alia looked up again, tears watering her eyes. "X… your disobedience is what saved us from Sigma's insanity. If they put a collar on you like this, you…"

X slowly stood up, and walked around, going to one knee in front of her. Alia blinked, blushing a bit, and let him take one of her hands with both of his. "Alia… I admire you so much. I pushed things too far, and it had too high a price. I do promise you, however, that I will never let an order cause innocent people to die from inaction."

Alia looked into his eyes, soaking in his sincerity, seeing how much he cared for her, how much he sympathized with her pain. "I can see…" she swallowed the weight in her throat, "how much you care, X. I admire that in you so much, too. I also… see… secrets. Something is weighing you down. I hope that some day, maybe… you can share that weight with me… before it pulls you down into a pit you can't climb out of."

X smiled gently, both masking his alarm at her perception, and sincerely grateful for her kindness. He pulled one hand out, and offered it to her as a shake. "May we be able to support each other in dark times, Alia."

She managed a meek smile, and shook his hand. "…You'll be alright?"

X nodded. "Will you?"

She brightened her smile, and used her free hand to wipe away some of the dampness. "…About the new recruits… I noticed something."

X blinked, relaxing his hand down from hers, but staying knelt. "Oh?"

"The one new kid. Signas, I think? His scores are… perfectly average. Down to the decimal point."

X raised his eyebrows. "That _is _odd."

"I think he's just trying not to stand out for some reason, but to get it that perfect—he must be an analytical genius. I'm thinking of trying to push him toward officer and leadership training."

X smiled. "I think your judgment is solid on that, Alia."

She laughed finally, and stood up with him. "…Sorry for barging in and… melting down."

X shook his head. "I'm always happy to see you, Alia. And—honestly—thank you for the concern."

Alia smiled at him. Their eyes lingered for a moment, but she finally eased away with her datapad. "Just take care of yourself, sir."

"You, too, lieutenant."

She winked at him before vanishing behind the closed door.

X looked down, sadness eking over his frame. "…I can't make you choose between me and your duty, Alia. This secret has to stay with me. I'm sorry."

_Fine _

[Author's Note]

So concludes X Chronicles 1: The Rise of Sigma. Some readers may dislike the choice to have Sigma become Signas. Signas is a strong character in his own right, and in my research into him (I only briefly met him during X5, where I stopped playing), I found he was quite an interesting character. Too interesting for the small parts he plays in the games. I realized the secret authority of the real Sigma, the maverick-hunter leader, would give Signas an edge when it came to wrangling X if needed, and also make the character more intriguing. That's my view, anyway.

Alia and X is a story intertwined in the heart of my overarching story plan. It is only just beginning here. Originally, Alia wasn't even going to join the story until the fourth Chronicle, but I realized she would be too wonderful an element to exclude until that far.

Hopefully, this story is satisfactory as a beginning and self-contained story. My true plan would involve 5 full length stories in total. The first four would be primarily recognizable as the games' plot, while the fifth would take a stronger divergent course.

I fully intend to write it all out, but I need to take a break from this story. As delayed as it was, it was still written at the expense of other projects near and dear to my heart, which I now must return to. I do hope to begin X Chronicles 2 some time soon, but please don't wait up at night for it *chuckle*.

Thanks again, everyone. I really appreciate the reviews, feedback, and pointers. You helped get this story done, and never let anyone tell you different. Fair well, friends, and keep writing.

Cyrex: signing off, for now.


End file.
